


Look my Way

by akureyri



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bands, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Angst and Drama, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Porn, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Band Member Catra (She-Ra), Best Friends, Car Sex, Cause Chapter 6/9 hehe, Childhood Friends, Drama, Drama & Romance, Drunk Adora (She-Ra), Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Hate Sex, High School, House Party, Human Catra (She-Ra), Human Scorpia (She-Ra), Humor, Hurt/Comfort, In case you’re just horny, Lesbian Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Catra (She-Ra), Lesbian Disaster Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Disaster Catra (She-Ra), Lesbian Sex, Love Bites, Love/Hate, Music, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Pining, Porn with Feelings, Romance, Rough Kissing, Rough Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Sexual Tension, Skippable Smut, Slow Burn, Smut, Tension, They Fuck in Chapter 6, Useless Lesbians, Vaginal Fingering, Writing gets exponentially better as chapters drag- I mean go on, lovers to enemies to FUCKING
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:21:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 90,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28147506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akureyri/pseuds/akureyri
Summary: They have an awful falling out, but one tense song performance at a ratty bar is just enough for some hate sex. Then comes the regrets.Catra gets a text from Scorpia asking her to stand in as a replacement band member for one gig. It was too late when Catra realizes that Adora, the same girl who cut her off four years ago, is also part of the band.ALL CHARACTERS ARE 18+!!!! I KNOW THE TAG SAYS HIGHSCHOOL BUT DON'T COME FOR MENO NONCON OR DUBCON.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 103
Kudos: 308





	1. Unwelcome Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> LET ME REMIND YOU AGAIN THAT ALL CHARACTERS ARE 18+ NO SIR I WILL NOT BE GOING TO JAIL!
> 
> After reading too much smut I listened to a song and got inspiration for some more sexual tension Catradora. (Neon Trees - Everybody Talks)
> 
> Enjoy this amazing playlist I made (loosely ties in with chapters) while you read them seriously debating whether or not they should make out. (Trust me you will not regret)  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/nq34ialjsuaza21t84z6aqujy/playlist/6DPGCnDInOrS3Hw2CUd34x?si=VF5ZS4isQHm08rEYXuyOrA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 1/30/2021 (30/1/2021 for some)  
> I added a 5 minute sketch of Catra I did today.

Catra was lounging around the park, laying down on one of those horizontal tire swings. Knees up, she was browsing her phone while swinging at an easy pace. This was her usual stop after school since it was strangely relaxing. Sometimes, the company of just the environment was enough. Horde High was suffocating way too often. Wannabe gangsters, bad boys, you know, the sort always skulk around the school starting shit for no reason. Her lunch table consisted of her usual group of friends. Catra, Scorpia, Lonnie, Kyle, Rogelio, and sometimes Entrapta if she wasn't busy at the computer lab.

They had been together since freshman year. They had nobody else but themselves to support each other. Catra huffed as she scrolled through shitty instagram memes before a text notification popped up at the top of her screen. She planned on just swiping up and ignoring the text until later, but one word caught her eye. She stops her finger as she reads the message.  
  
Scorpia: EMERGENCY!! I really really need a favor right...  
  
The preview cut off the rest of the sentence. Catra quirked her right eyebrow. Curious, she tapped on the notification. Usually, Scorpia didn't ask for anything, so this text was kinda out of the blue for her. As iMessage loaded up, Catra sighed as she saw the quick influx of messages. " _Lord help me..."_ she thought. Scrolling to the top, she reads the texts.

->Scorpia: EMERGENCY!! I really really need a favor from you right now.  
->Scorpia: I swear I'll make it up, but this is super very major important!  
->Scorpia: Meet me at 4461 Reta St.  
->Scorpia: Gotta go now! Please please please come

She frowns and stares at the phone for a few seconds, deciding on what to say back. Sighing, she types a response.

<-Catra: omw  
  
Catra’s frown deepened as she processed the new information. " _She really didn't tell me what she's shitting her pants about?_ " She clicked her tongue and fumbled for her keys as she hopped off of the tire swing. Shoving her phone in her red letterman jacket's pocket, she strode to her car sitting in the nearby parking lot. It honestly wasn't much, but if it works, it works. She hustled to scrounge up the cash to get that sweet 2005 Honda Accord that always had her back. Doing odd jobs here and there, it was worth it to finally own her own car. Catra flopped on the seat and jammed her keys in. " _Man, this better be worth it._ " Taking her phone out, she pulled the texts back up and tapped on the highlighted "4461 Reta St.". Google Maps opened up and the screen swerved towards the house. It was in the suburbs. _"What the hell is Scorpia doing_ there?" she furrowed her brows.

She turned the ignition and reversed out. " _Maybe she got caught up at a party._ " Catra quickly shook her head at the thought. " _No, no. She would've invited me or at least told me about it beforehand._ " Stopping at the first red light, Catra turns her head to the GPS. She pinches at the screen, zooming out on the map. The nearest places were pretty familiar. The local mom and pop shops, the corner stores, and... _Bright Moon High._ " _No fucking way. Scorpia's hanging out with one of those fuckers?"_ Catra would've been furious that Scorpia never told her about that, but she knew why. Scorpia knew that Catra would kill her, well, not literally, if she found out. She was never fond of that school, especially its' students. Actually, just a few. The light flickered green and she stepped on the gas.

The tires give a little screech when Catra pulls up in front of the house's driveway. She went to glance at the number plate to confirm if it was the right house or not but was stopped at the sight of the open garage door. Scorpia had her back to Catra, seemingly talking to a guy wearing a crop top. Catra twisted the keys to shut off the engine, and slid out of the car. She leisurely approached the two when she noticed a pink-haired girl at the side. She didn't notice her earlier because of the angle. Crossing her arms, she called for her friend's attention.

"Yo, Scorpia," she said, tilting her head. "What's the big deal with all those texts? You in trouble or what?"

The group turned their heads at the sudden new voice. Scorpia grinned widely, almost exclaiming. "I knew you'd come!" She started walking towards the shorter girl, ready to give her a bear hug. The two were friends, but a large mismatch. Scorpia, a ray of sunshine, was a big hugger. In contrast to that, Catra, the angsty emo girl, was not. Catra gave up on trying to reject the affection. She let it slide since Scorpia was one of her closest friends. Lifting Catra up, Scorpia asked worriedly, "You... you brought your guitar, right? Please say yes..."

Confused, Catra barely managed to mumble her answer out. "Yeah, yeah. Why the hell wouldn't I have it?" She spent waaay too much damn money on it to leave it somewhere other than in her car's trunk. She got it 4 years ago, just before high school started. She needed something to take her mind off things and learned how to play on her own. It was her companion when her friends weren't around. It was the second most expensive thing Catra had bought. The first is pretty obvious. "Why are you asking about it?"

"Well... about that teensy favor I asked for in my texts..." Scorpia strained to say. She knew Catra wasn't one for favors, especially when asked. She did whatever she wanted. Even so, Catra always had her back. She could depend on her no matter what, but it just takes a little convincing sometimes.

"No, you are definitely not fucking using it," Catra spat out almost instantly. "Why do you even need it?" Even if she **_really_** needed a spare guitar, Catra couldn't take the chance. Friend or not, she was too clumsy for her own good. One mistake could put a hole in Catra's wallet, which was already kinda flat.

"Oh, no, no, no! I don't need it. I need you!" Scorpia shouted, dropping Catra.

Catra lifted a brow. "What? What for? How th... _oh._ " Stopping mid-sentence, she facepalmed, an audible _smack_ almost ringing throughout the neighborhood. "God, no! I'm not joining your stupid garage band!" It clicked as soon as that sentence left Scorpia's mouth. Ever since Scorpia picked up the keyboard, she'd been bugging Catra for weeks now about starting a band, but that really wasn't Catra's thing. She always refused, even when it hurt seeing Scorpia's face drop every time. Who knew she was so damn desperate that she mingled with Bright Moon shitheads? First of all, how did she even _know_ about them? "Dude, you know I'm always gonna say-"

"Just this once! I'll never, ever, ever ask you again!" Scorpia cut her off. She looked really serious, compared to her usual bright demeanor. "It's just... two of our members dropped out last minute, and we have a gig in a few weeks! You're the only one that can help us! Please...!" she grabbed Catra's shoulders.

 _"Oh, right. 'Us'."_ Catra peeked over Scorpia's shoulder to check out the other members of the "band". Once she made eye contact with them, they both smiled and did a little wave. Catra grumbled. "Just once. No more after that. Also, you're treating me to lunch for a week."

"Hey! I knew you'd do it!" Scorpia squealed, once more lifted Catra in the air with a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!! You're the best!"

Catra smiled at the compliment. "Then who's the second stand-in?" Not to have a big head, but Catra was really the only "good" musician Scorpia knew.

"Mm, don't worry about it! My friends got that handled! They just needed me to find someone. Thanks again." Scorpia almost dragged Catra towards them. _"Yikes! I think Scorpia's way too friendly for her own good. How long did they even know each other to be running around, calling each other "friends"?"_ Catra cringed. She relaxed her disgusted face when they approach. She didn't recognize them, but then again, why would she? She studied the two silently, forming her own judgmental opinions about them in her head.

"Hey..." Catra started, but was cut off by crop top boy. She drops the little hand she had up to wave at them.

"Thanks, man! You really saved our asses!" he wrapped his arms around Catra, giving a shit-eating grin. "Catra, right? Scorpia's said a lot of good things about you, and you know what? It's true! You're our savior!" Catra was two steps away from whooping his ass when his friend separates the two. " _Not to be rude, but holy shit. We just met and he's already touching me like that? What the hell is wrong with these people?"_ She quickly dusted herself off, slowly losing heat from anger from her face. "Yeah, um... how about you not do that again?" she remarks. "I didn't even catch your name before you almost copped a feel."

Crop top's eyes widen in shock, and he went to apologize before he was cut off by his lady friend. "I-I'm so s-"

" _Heeey!_ Sorry about that! He's just a little... you know. He likes meeting new people! I'm Glimmer, by the way. Nice to finally meet Scorpia's friend." she offered her hand. Catra takes it and gives it a little shake, unsure of what to say.

"I'm a little what-?!" was what he managed to shout out before being silenced again. "Oh my god, Bow! Shut up! You're scaring away our damn lifeline!" she shushed, locking his head in her arms. "Ahaha... yeah, please forgive him!"

"No... problem. I'm Catra..." Catra backed up a little, almost bumping into Scorpia. "So... what's the plan? Whaddya need me for?"

"We need you to do double duty. Scorpia told me you sing really well along with being awesome with the guitar. I know it sounds like a lot, but our singer dipped and we don't have a replacement." Glimmer muttered something after mentioning the ex-singer, but Catra couldn't quite hear it. "So! I have the scores for both over here." Glimmer leads Catra inside the garage and to a music stand. "Today's a special occasion since it's an emergency meeting. We usually have around 4-hour sessions every Saturday, but crunch it to 6 the last week before a gig."

Bow cut in. "Man, this is our first gig! I like how you're acting like we're professionals."

Glimmer groaned, sliding her hand down her face. "Can I just get through this first?"

He replied with a soft "Okay, okay..." while putting his hands up. "Sorry to interrupt. Just thought it was funny."

"Anyway, I'm glad you're with us. We're going to start soon... Nice eyes, by the way," she smiled. Catra flinched at the comment before immediately thinking it was a back-handed compliment. People at the Horde always pointed them out, teasing her. She hated it. It wasn't even that noticeable. Catra was ready to snap back until she noticed Glimmer's face. It was a genuine one. She was smiling with her eyes and all. The hairs on her body that were raised slowly fell as she calmed down. _"What do I even say to that? "You too"? Like what?"_

"...Thanks," Catra said, trying her best to seem unfazed. This was gonna be a long day. She begrudgingly walked over to the trunk of her car to grab her beloved guitar. _"Man, I'm fuckin' crazy for doing this shit."_ She traced a finger along the trunk, drawing a little cat doodle on the dust. _"As overbearing as they are, honestly... they aren't too bad."_ She sighed and yanked her keys out of her pocket, catching it on the loop of the keychain. She hears giggling back at the garage as she unlocks the trunk. Looking over to the source of the noise, she sees Scorpia genuinely having the best time of her life. _"...As long as they make her happy..."_ Carefully moving the guitar case, she swung it around her shoulder and made her way back to the group. "Alright, I'm ready whenever you are." She put a hand on her hip, slightly leaning towards the left. "Let's get it over with." 

Glimmer paused and pursed her lips. "Well... the second bassist isn't here yet, but..." she shook her head. "No, no, it's fine. We can start without her. Yeah, let's go." Right, the other replacement. It was probably another Bright Moon student, seeing as Scorpia's friends "had it handled".

Catra wove around the cluttered garage and to her spot. It was in the front of the band. Scorpia chilled in the back left, next to Bow, the drummer. Glimmer was to the left of Catra, playing bass and backup vocals. The empty spot was reserved for the mystery person. Catra quickly skimmed through the pages and turned to Glimmer when she noticed that there were only a few. "Are we not playing a set?" she asked. "This is only one song."

"Our gig... it's not exactly a traditional live concert." she gave an awkward grin. "We're just starting out, so we signed up for a little... promotional event. Jimmy's is letting us perform one song to maybe find a few fans in the crowd. It was the only chance we got."

"We got pretty lucky that Scorpia knew the owner from relatives," Bow said, scratching his head. "We've all been together for a while, but no one was interested in our little "garage band", as you said."

Catra tilted her head, then nodded. "Yeah, okay. I get it." She waited for a little before deciding to break the silence. "So..."

"Oh, right! Before we start practice, I thought we could maybe... have a little jam session. You know, to get a feel for each other." Glimmer blurted out.

"...Okay,"

"I'll start!!" Bow waved enthusiastically. "I'm the rhythm, after all," he smirked. Tapping his sticks thrice, he quickly hit a beat that would get anyone out of their seat and dancing. _"He's not half bad,"_ Catra thought. A little smile crept on her face. She waited for a little to find a riff to play off that. Glimmer quickly joined in however, like they were made for each other. Smooth strumming filled the garage with a pop-indie vibe. Catra nodded and her hands moved on her own. At first experimenting, she slowly found the right rhythm and complementary sound to the two. Scorpia, who's jammed out with Catra before, finds inspiration right after a good riff of hers. She joins in with her own sound, not too bland to blend in, but not too unique to stick out like a sore thumb. In just a few minutes, the four are playing like they've been doing it together their whole lives.

Catra can't help herself but grin from ear to ear with their chemistry. She looks around and saw that everyone else shared the same feeling. Scorpia was relieved that Catra was enjoying herself. Maybe meeting new people wasn't so bad. They weren't hostile like the usual Horde crowd, and unique enough to stand out from strangers she'd find on the street or at parties. Doing a little dance while she's strumming, Catra walks around the garage. Twisting with every bounce in her step, she gives little actions to the other band members. A nod to Bow, a wink to Glimmer, and a warm smile to Scorpia. She hadn't had this much fun in so long. She didn't enjoy this much company in a while. They all slow down after a few minutes, not willingly, to a complete stop.

Catra snickered. "You know, you guys aren't half bad as I thought." She turned around to meet Bow and Glimmer's eyes. "Maybe a few years in the business, you won't have to make an OnlyFans to make some cash."

Bow chuckled at the crass joke. "Hey, I think you're pretty good too. Me and Glimmer weren't too sure until that jam session just now."

"I told you you'd like it, Catra! You should've joined us sooner." Scorpia piped up. Seeing Catra's genuine joy was a treat.

"I do _**NOT** **!**_ " Catra argued, voice cracking. She let the guitar hang from the straps and clenched her fists. "Man, sometimes you kill me, Scorpia." she sighed. "Anyway, Glitter, right? Your technique is pretty sweet."

" _ **OH MY GOD!"**_ Bow cackled, covering his eyes with one hand and pointing at "Glitter" with the other. "Glitter?! Dude, that's fucking hilarious! You're making me like you more and more, Catra!" he says between his laughs, out of breath. Catra gave a playful grin to Glimmer.

Glimmer, embarrassed, plays along. "Fuck you! It doesn't hurt to remember my name!" she tries to sound mad, but laughs trickle out from her voice.

The group's contagious laughter was cut short by a voice coming from behind them. All of them turn around to see who it was. "Sorry I'm late!" a girl shouted, out of breath. She jogged up to the garage entrance. "I needed to make up a stupid te..." she trailed off, eyes widening at the sight of the group. Catra was equally as shocked. "Cat...ra...?" she said softly. She was a tall, blonde girl with hair tied up to a ponytail. Quickly recognizing those traits, Catra goes full panic. _"What...?! What the hell is **she** doing here? No, no, no! You're telling me she's the other bassist?!" _She whips her head around, looking at Glimmer. Her worst fear became true when Glimmer was elated at the arrival of the late member.

The feeling of dread churned Catra's stomach. She had agreed to play with the band until the gig, she couldn't go back on her word now.

"Adora!!" Glimmer ran after the dumbstruck girl, giving her a big hug. Catra turns her head over to Scorpia, who shared the same look of absolute shock. Scorpia quickly shook her head side to side, indicating that _she didn't know._

"I'm so glad you came! It sucks that Sam and Taylor just bailed on us." she rolled her eyes, pulling away from the hug. Her smile drops when she sees Adora still staring straight ahead, mouth agape.

* * *

**Four Years Ago, 8th Grade**

Adora and Catra were inseparable since elementary school. They did everything together, they told each other everything... they did anything for each other. Well, up until 8th grade. It was the week before summer vacation, and Adora and Catra were sitting on a swingset. Laughing at inside jokes, they were care-free.

"I saw Kyle trip over a stupid backpack trying to run up to Rogelio," Catra snickered, eyes closed. "He was carrying a box of chocolates to ask Rogelio out before summer vacation started so they could hang out!"

Adora furrowed her brows. "Was he okay? That sounds really bad..." she replied. Looking at Catra in the eyes, she sighed. "I don't get why you find that funny, that's just not nice."

"I'm sorry I have a sense of humor and you don't!" Catra defended. She pointed at Adora. "C'mon, you can't tell me the big fat smack his face made when he fell forwards wasn't funny. I bet his face was as flat as Tom's when Jerry smacked his face with a pan in that one episode!"

Adora let a little chuckle out. "Okay, maybe just a little! But I still feel bad for him." Catra felt calm whenever her best friend laughed.

"By the way, I can't wait until summer vacation!" Catra cheerfully said. "We can hang out all summer and have sleepovers! How about next Friday?"

Adora flinched, and gave a worried look as she saw the sun setting. "I... I don't think I can do Friday."

"Okay," Catra frowned, but wasn't too upset. "Then how about the Friday after that?" she suggested, leaning towards Adora.

"I can't do that either..."

"Why not? What... about after that?"

"I'm going to be busy all summer, Catra. I don't think I'll have time to hang out with you." Those words hit Catra like a train. Her lips quivered as she slowly opened her mouth to reply. They never spent time apart. Especially not for 3 whole months.

"What do you mean? What are you gonna do?" she tilted her head.

"I have to go to summer school and do some extracurriculars... for Bright Moon Academy." Adora hesitated, unsure whether or not she should really say this.

Scratch the train comment. It was like Adora drove a knife into Catra and just twisted it. What she just said... that means...

"You're... You're going to _Bright Moon?"_ Catra blurted out. She got up and stood in front of Adora, who had stopped swinging just now. "I thought we were going to Horde High together! You said so!" Catra clenched the hem of her shirt, knuckles turning white. Adora looks down to see and stammers out a weak sentence.

"I-I know, but... I talked to my counselor, and-"

"So? It doesn't matter what she says! We even made a whole plan for what classes we'd take and what clubs we'd do together. What's even so good about Bright Moon?"

"...It has a music program." Adora looked down, staring at the tanbark.

"That's it? You're leaving me for..."

"You know I love music," Adora interrupted. "I'm sorry, but it's all I've ever wanted to do... And Horde High doesn't have a music program. Bright Moon Academy also is the best in the county..."

Catra let go of her shirt. She sighed, arm shaking as she reached out to touch Adora's shoulder. "No, I get it. You deserve the best..."

Adora looked up, smiling. A stray tear dripped down her cheek. "R-Really, Catra?" she sniffled, holding the hand that was on her shoulder. "You're not mad?"

"No... just promise me something." Catra's voice dropped to a low whisper.

"Anything!"

"Promise me that we'll stay in touch. We'll still be best friends, right?" she met eyes with Adora. It was hard to look at her best friend at that moment, but she couldn't turn away.

Adora laced her fingers with Catra's and gave her signature grin. "Of course! Why wouldn't we? I promise." Letting go, she then gives a playful shove.

...If only things were that simple. After that fateful conversation, Adora... broke the promise. The first month of vacation, they texted often, but the frequent hours-long conversations over text slowly turned to dry ones. Adora had no time to hang out at all, so they were stuck to phone calls and texts. Maybe a quick drop-in house visit, but that was all. A visit. Catra's heart ached for each passing day, where she knew that each text would mean nothing anymore. What could they talk about? Nothing new had happened between them. She knew that they were drifting apart and that she could do nothing to stop that from happening.

Hanging out with the crew wasn't as fun as just sitting at a park with Adora. Craving any connection to her best friend, Catra went to buy an electric guitar. An impulsive purchase, one would say. She had no idea where to start and what to do with it, but practicing music reminded Catra of her. Anything was good enough. Adora would take longer and longer to respond the more time that had passed. Catra understood that she was busy, but when was she _too_ busy for her best friend? Eventually, Catra stopped trying when Adora had left her on read a few times. The straw that broke the camel's back was two weeks before summer vacation was ending. It was the last two texts Catra had sent before giving up completely.

<-Catra: hey u busy? i kinda wanna talk to u about something

Catra trembled nervously as she hit the "send" button. Why was texting Adora so hard now? It was something she never thought about too hard, but now one simple question made her anxious. She swiped up on her phone, closing the iMessage app and threw her phone on the bed. She pulled a chair out from under her desk and flopped on it. Resting her head on her arms at the desk, she sighed. Adora had been more and more distant lately, and Catra saw every small change in the way they interacted with each other. She hated it.

She felt awful about her best friend no longer being close to her. No longer being able to talk to her was infuriating... but Adora deserved to go to Bright Moon. It was always her dream to become a musician. Catra groaned into her sleeves. _"I'm such an awful fucking person. What kind of person wishes that her best friend should stay with her at the expense of their happiness?"_ Her head filled with thoughts of regret and disdain. _"Why am I like this? Is this okay to think about?"_ She pushed away from her desk and got off the chair. _"...Adora still hasn't replied, huh?"_ she sighed. Catra went to grab her phone and go get dinner, but something urged her to check her message again.

<-Catra: hey u busy? i kinda wanna talk to u about something  
 _Read 6:51 P.M_

" _What the fuck?"_ Catra muttered. _"No, no. She probably forgot to hit send... or forgot to reply... right? She never leaves me on read."_ She shook her head and threw on the hoodie that was lying at the foot of her bed. _"I'll just... grab some food and check to see if she responded afterward."_ The thoughts made her even more anxious. She took the housekeys laying on the desk and walked out into the streets. _"Maybe I should go to the fast-food joint Adora and I always goes to,"_ she pondered. She wasn't that hungry anymore but still needed something to distract her. _"Maybe just a milkshake."_ She took the familiar path to the joint, reminiscing about the times she and Adora were always excited to get some food at their favorite diner. Softly chuckling, she looks up from the concrete floor to check out the place. She felt her heart drop when she saw Adora sitting at the table next to the window with a group of people she's never met or seen before.

Catra couldn't move her feet, nor a muscle in her body. All she could do was watch as Adora smiled and laughed with everyone else. _"I've been sitting at home all month doing jack shit and she's been having the time of her life talking to preps?"_ she grit her teeth. _"I guess this is what she meant by being too busy to hang out."_ She felt her blood pressure rise as she grabs her phone to text Adora once more. _"...Just in case."_

<-Catra: u good?

Catra sits on a nearby bench as she waits, crossing her legs. Her foot in the air starts to shake in anticipation. After a few minutes, it freezes when she sees Adora stop talking and check her phone. Staring at it for a few seconds, she turns back to the group and puts her phone down. _"No..."_ Catra's heartbeat quickens, and she pulls up her text message conversation with Adora.

<-Catra: u good?  
 _Read 7:13 P.M_

It was at that moment that her heart drops and shatters on the floor. Her whole body tensed up, but still was shaking. From what? Anger? Fear? Catra grips her phone and slams her palm on the bench with her free hand. _"Fuck. You."_ She practically throws herself off the bench and storms off back home. _"Fuck. You."_ her thoughts disappear. She picks up the pace. A stray tear streaks down her cheek and dissolves into the night. She's already running when she reaches the block from her home. As she approaches the porch, she stops to catch her breath. _"Why?"_ was all she could muster up in her head. _"Why'd you do that?"_ she repeated in her head, gripping the door knob.

Catra slinks into her house and quietly hides in her room. She didn't want anyone to ask her what was wrong or even see her in this state. She wanted to be alone. The second she crashes into her bed, the tears she tried so hard to hold back came flowing down. Struggling to breathe between exhaustion and the crying, she turns on her side. Her eyes meet the guitar resting next to her on the desk. Contemplating for a moment, she straightens up and grabs it. Positioning it on her thighs, she sniffles. Catra let her emotions out by letting her fingers do the talking. They moved on their own as she closes her eyes and plays a tune.

* * *

** Present **

"Adora? What's wrong?" Glimmer asked. She gave the blonde a little poke to get her attention. " _Adoooora."_

The blonde jolted at the impact. "Wha-?! Oh, yeah! Wait, no! There's nothing wrong!" she took a step back. Her breath was shaky and her face was contorted with confusion.

"You said her name... was Catra. Do you know her?" Glimmer left her mouth open slightly. "Have you two met before?" How could they know each other beforehand? Scorpia had said that Catra was a friend from school, so they both went to Horde High. _"Adora really seems off-put by seeing her too..."_ she glanced between the two, noticing the visible tension.

"Well..." Adora began, sweat trickling down her neck. _"This is awkward..."_ She searched for the right words to say. What are you supposed to do in this situation? How do you introduce your best friend who you haven't talked to in almost five years? "She... she..."

"We used to go to school together." Catra hissed, her words coated in venom. "That's all." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Her face was slightly scarlet, but her expression told that it wasn't anything but anger. She quickly turned away afterward. Glimmer and Bow gave each other a worried look. The Catra they saw a few minutes ago was suddenly super hostile and closed off. Her bright smile was now at a stiff, unreadable angle, and her eyes felt intense. _"What the hell happened to those two?"_ Glimmer thought.

"Yeah... something kinda like that," Adora rubbed the back of her neck, letting out a sigh. Even so, she still felt suffocated. So many emotions were going on in her body. Fear, confusion, anxiety, all the sorts. _"Since when did Catra play an instrument? Why is she here? How does she know my friends?"_ She bites her lip and creases her brows as she looks at her ex-best-friend. It stung that Catra played it off as if they didn't spend years together, but she got why. _"I haven't seen her in years, but this is how we meet? Why now...?"_ Strangely, she was relieved to see Catra was still the same. "I'm here now, so... did you already start without me?"

Shaking off the awkward vibe she got caught between, Glimmer let out a forced chuckle. "We did a little jam session without you to test our compatibility." Enthusiasm came over her as soon as she brought that up. "And she's good. Like, _really_ good." It was a surprise to Glimmer because she knew Horde High didn't have a music program, so any aspiring musician would have to find a third-party teacher or self-teach themselves. "I like her! I'm pretty sure she'll be a good addition to our band..."

"I said it was a one-time thing. Sorry, babe." Catra entered the conversation again. _"No fucking way I'm spending more time with her."_ She grits her teeth, looking her ex-best friend up and down. Adora had gotten noticeable taller and seemed to have slimmed down. She felt her mouth twitch as she studied the girl. _"How the hell did I get myself into this mess? Lord save me for I am about to go jump off the nearest cliff. Nah, a roof works fine."_

"Oh... that's a shame. I just thought..." Glimmer stops short as Bow swoops in behind her.

"L-Let's just start our practice, yeah?" Bow insisted. "We're already a little behind schedule." He ushered the two behind their backs and into the garage. _"I'm definitely talking to Adora after this."_

Everyone goes back to their places when Glimmer notices Catra standing out of position. "Um, Catra. You're standing a little too close to me, you might bump into me." she points closer to Adora. "You're supposed to stand there."

"Yeah, yeah." Catra scoffs and took a minuscule step back. "Good enough for you?"

"That's... okay, nevermind." Glimmer mumbled. "We're good to go," she turns to Bow. "Start whenever."

"Gotcha."

Bow clicks his sticks together twice and starts off with a repetitive, quiet beat. Catra reads the sheet and hums the tune, Bow changing up the rhythm as she reaches the peak. Catra strums along and sings the lyrics, but her expression was stiff. She seemed to not be having fun, and wanted to rush through the song. _"Her voice is amazing..."_ Adora watches in awe. She couldn't take her eyes off of Catra. _"She's sight-reading so effortlessly. I never knew she practiced music."_ Adora's train of thought came to a sudden halt when Glimmer calls out her name.

"Adora! You missed your entrance!" she scolded.

Adora snaps her head to the stand and joins in as fast as she could. "S-Sorry!" she stuttered out, fingers fumbling from distress.

It took a while for Adora to settle, but the song still played as well as a first time session would go. When the song ended, they dispersed into smaller groups. Face flushed from embarrassment, Adora quickly goes to grab a cup of water from the portable dispenser in the corner of the garage. _"Way to make a first impression, Adora!"_ she mentally facepalmed. _"I left her for music and she hears me sound like shit!"_ Adora's hand trembled a little when she took a sip. Catra and Scorpia stood in the opposite corner with their intense conversation. Catra's face was far from happy, and Scorpia was sweating bullets. Catra leans against the wall and crosses her arms with a vice grip. Letting out a sigh, she turned to face her friend.

"You're joking me, right?" she grumbled. "This can't be for real. You're making me spend _weeks_ with this motherfucker?"

"Woah, woah! I didn't know either! Listen, if I knew, I wouldn't-" Scorpia explained, arms up in defense.

"Ugh, I know. I'm just a little pissed off. It's not your fault." Catra dug her nails deeper into her jacket. "It's just... I don't want to see her." she confided. "Not yet, anyway."

Scorpia relaxed and took one of Catra's hand, giving it a little squeeze. The other girl jumped a little at the sudden touch, but it wasn't unwelcome. 'You don't have to do this for me. It's okay if it's too much." Scorpia lowers her voice into a soothing tone. It always hurt Catra to be honest, so if she said something, she _really_ didn't want to. "I can just find someone else."

"No, you can't," Catra retorted. Silence fell between the two before Catra forces a smile. "I wouldn't wanna pass up the free food you said you'd owe me anyway." she joked.

"Right, right. Whatever you want," Scorpia giggled. _"I shouldn't push her anymore. At least not right now."_

As Adora basically inhaled cup after cup of water to seem busy, she couldn't help but take glances at Catra and her friend's conversation. Her field of view was blocked when Bow jumps in front of her with a "BOO!"

Adora jumps, dropping her cup on the floor. It rolls a few inches when Glimmer picks it up and throws it at Bow. "What the hell," she teased. "She was busy enjoying the _show_ , Bow."

The blonde's face throbbed with heat as her jaw almost drops on the floor. "W-What?! No! What do you mean?" she stammered. "I was just..."

"I was just kidding, Adora. But we gotta talk. What's with you and that girl?" Glimmer put both of her hands on her hips. "I've never seen you act that way, and she completely changed as soon as she saw you!"

"What...? We-" Adora needed more time to think about what even to say. "We're..." That was a good question, actually. " _What happened to us?"_

A sudden shout scared the whole room. **_"GLIMMAH!!"_** a woman shouted. Catra made the most confused face ever while looking at the supposed "Glimmah".

Glimmer sighed audibly and trudged over to the door connecting her house and garage. " _What_ , mom?!"

Swinging the door open, her mother beckoned her with a finger. "Come, I need your help with something. Bow needs to come too, I need to move a few things around."

"Oh, oh! Scorpia's really strong! She can help us!" Bow interjected.

Scorpia cringed and waved her hands desperately. Her leaving with Glimmer and Bow meant that _those two_ would be alone. God help her if Catra got abandoned by Scorpia in her time of need. "No, no, no, I think you two can handle i-" she suggested. No, she insisted. She shot a "help me" look at Glimmer, who didn't seem to take notice. _"Oh no..."_

"Is that so? Alright, come along then. I need to finish this as soon as I can." she disappeared into the hallway, Glimmer and Bow following suit. Before Glimmer left, she called out to Adora. "I guess we're done with practice! You drove here, right? Bye!"

Reaching out to her friend, Adora gulped. "Wait, I ran here..." she muttered when she realised it was too late.

Scorpia gave Catra an "oh fuck" glance. "I... I tried..." she drawled. "I'm really-"

"Just go, I can handle it," Catra turns Scorpia around and gives her a light push. "Don't worry about me."

Scorpia opened her mouth to give one last reply, but was interrupted by Glimmer yelling for her. "Alright. Take care, Catra." she gave Catra a reassuring smile.

As the four walked into the living room of Glimmer's house, Glimmer took Bow aside for a second to talk. " _Wait, I just realised..."_ Glimmer whispered. _"We just fucking left the two of them alone. Well, not we, more like **you** " _she taps Bow on the shoulder. "Good job, Bow...!"

Realization dawned on Bow and he darted his eyes between Glimmer and Scorpia. "I... what? Oh fuuuck..." he facepalmed. "Well, I forgot! How was I supposed to know?"

"Are you joking me? We were literally in a conversation with Adora about what the hell was up with them!" Glimmer cried out. "Like, you can't even remember what happened for _five_ seconds?!"

"I mean, your mom is mega scary..." he mumbled. 

"You've known her for almost a decade!!"

"So? I stand by my point!" he crossed his arms and huffs.

"Whatever, just... remember we _have_ to talk to Adora about this later." Glimmer sighs.

"Oh, I definitely agree with that. I've never seen her act this way."

"That's exactly what I thought! Actually, we can ask Scorpia about Catra. They seem to be close with each other, right?"

Bow rubbed his chin and thought about it for a second. "You're right, but... it seemed a little personal."

"We're gonna ask Adora anyway, it won't hurt to ask Scorpia now."

Glimmer and Bow walk up to Scorpia, seemingly scaring her when Bow tapped her on the shoulder. " _Gah!_ " she yelped, snapping out of her thoughts. "Oh, sorry about that. What is it?"

"About Adora and your friend... What happened with them? Glimmer leaned closer to Scorpia.

"What? N-Nothing!" Scorpia said, almost too quickly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Nothing? Come on, we all saw that tension back there!" Bow pointed out. "Did they get in a huge fight or what?"

"Well... Something like that. It was more of Adora leaving Catra though- _**oops!"**_ Scorpia quickly covered her mouth, but it was too late.

"Leaving?"

Scorpia brushed them off. "Look, I already said too much. If you really want to know, ask her about it. Or even Adora." It wasn't like Scorpia to be so closed off, especially in personal matters. Glimmer and Bow looked at each other, and backed off once Scorpia made it clear she didn't want to get into the hot topic. "I can't be the one to tell you."

"Alright, thanks anyway." Bow commented.

Completely a mess, Catra slumps down on a nearby bench. She sighs into her hands, heart pounding. _"I said I'd handle it, but how? How the hell am I gonna do this?"_ Usually, she'd run straight to her car and skrrt away, but this time she _really_ needed to take five and think. _"The only times I'd see her is practice, right? No, but then they might have get-togethers. I'd say no, but Scorpia would really want me to be there..."_ She leans back and looks up at the ceiling, groaning in frustration. The dangling light fixture distracted her for a few seconds before reality hit her again. By the time she's brought back to the real world, she sees Adora sharing the bench with her, twiddling her thumbs. Catra scrunches her face in disgust and looks away. _"The hell is she so nervous for?"_

"So... I didn't know you played guitar." Adora rubbed the back of her neck, only meeting Catra's eyes for a moment before turning away quickly. "You... you sounded pretty good."

"Of course you didn't know," Catra snapped. She gripped the edge of the bench at the sudden outburst. " _Oops, I didn't mean to sound that angry. Wait, but I **am** that angry though. The fuck is wrong with me?!" _She didn't say anything after. Instead, she stared at the concrete garage floor, biting her cheek.

"Oh, sorry." Adora replied. You know that feeling when there's a knot in your stomach? Well, it's in her throat. _"I don't think she wants to talk to me... Just one more time then."_ Adora gulped and tried once more. "How... how did you meet my friends?"

Catra shifts slightly further away and crosses her arms. _"You mean the fucking friends you left me for? Oh, I clearly tracked them down to take you back."_ She swatted mentally at the intrusive thoughts. "Scorpia needed me. Look, I wouldn't have joined if I knew you were gonna be here."

Adora's stomach dropped at those words. It stung. _"Ugh, she seriously doesn't want to see me."_ Even so, she still wanted to rekindle things. "Oh... So how have you been?" The conversation was stale like bread left out for too long.

"I've been getting by."

"That's good. I've been doing pretty well, I found out that I actually really like track and field."

This time, Catra was making eye contact with her. "When?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, about a month..."

"No, when did I ask?" she corrected, tilting her head.

"Hey, Catra. I'm sorry, okay? I'm really sorry about-" Adora couldn't help but look at her face, staring at all of her features. _"How do I even show her that I want things to go back to normal?"_

"I don't have time for this." Catra got up, hands clutching the keys in her pocket. "I'm leaving."

Adora sighed. Her heart hurt from Catra walking away like that, unwilling to talk. What did she even do wrong? Sure, a few things, but nothing that severe to warrant this behavior from Catra. 

Catra stopped after walking a few feet. Literally struggling to fight back the words, she grit her teeth. "You... still need a ride, right? Get in." She could feel her brain telling her mouth to shut the fuck up, but to no avail. _"God, I am going to regret this severely."_

Adora widened her eyes, then grinned. "Really? Are you sure?" she felt giddy inside. _"Maybe all isn't lost yet."_ Adora bounces to her feet, skipping a little towards Catra. "Thanks!" she gave Catra a little playful shoulder check like she always did when they were younger. Instead of receiving one back, she was met with Catra scowling.

"Just get in the fucking car before I run you over with it." she cursed.

Following Catra to her car, Adora took a few moments to look at it. It just felt like... Catra's, if that made sense. The cluttered backseat caused Adora to opt for sitting shotgun. As she slid in and buckled her seat belt, she saw Catra glaring at her.

"By the way, this isn't because I like you," she grumbled, clutching the wheel.

"What? I didn't say anything." Adora slyly answered, holding back a laugh. Catra huffed in response and slammed the door closed.

Turning the key in the ignition, she reverses into the street with one hand.


	2. The Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The feelings of longing only grew after the eventful car ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try my best to update fast, but no promises :)

Turning the key in the ignition, Catra reverses into the street with one hand.

It was already getting dark. The car ride at first was silent, only the quiet hum of the car's engine and Catra's music at low volume filling the scene. A cat plushie dangled from the rear-view mirror as Catra drove. In her head, Catra was beating herself up. _"You're a fucking idiot for putting yourself in this situation."_ she clicked her tongue at the thought. Every time she saw Adora sneak glances at her, she felt more and more inclined to say something. Anything. She clenched her wheel with one hand while rubbing her knee with the other. Currently, Adora's presence was anything but positive. It put her off for some reason. Even working with people she hated didn't feel so... awful.

Her eyes snapped to the right when she sees Adora trying to skip the track. The hand that was on her knee was now holding Adora's wrist. Her cold hands made Adora shiver at the touch. She let go and Adora put her hands back in her lap. Focusing on the road once more, Catra questions Adora. "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to change the song. I didn't like it." Adora rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Sorry."

"You should be. Don't go around touching shit in my car without permission." Catra growled. "Don't make me regret giving you a ride home."

Adora sighed and finally got the courage to even look at Catra fully. "Why are you acting like this? Aren't we friends?" She didn't get why Catra was being so hostile. Every time they got into a fight, they always made up easily. Talking about their problems was their way of working through them. It wasn't like Catra to be so closed off. The Catra she's sharing a car with wasn't the one she knew. The one she grew up with.

Words stabbing into her back, Catra chuckled. "Friends? Don't make me fucking laugh. You're the one who didn't want us to be friends anyway!" she switched the turn signal on and waited at the stoplight. It felt like the worst three minutes of her life. The clicking of the signal was the only noise Catra could hear. _"She's really acting dumb about this shit? You're kidding me. She blew me off so many times and has the balls to say, "aren't we friends?"."_

"What are you even talking about? _You_ were the one who stopped talking to _me!"_ Adora's fists were balled up, unable to let go. _"How could she say that?"_ "You stopped replying to my texts and calls, what do you want me to do?"

"I only let you go once I figured out that you _didn't need me anymore_ _,"_ Catra scoffed. "It hurts to get left on read, right? To not get a reply?" It was too late. Once that slipped out, it was too late for Catra to realize what she just said. _"What am I doing?"_ she winced. It felt like every word that came out lifted a small burden from her chest.

Adora flinched at those words.

"What?! First of all, I have no idea what you're talking about. I never thought that-" Adora paused. "I never thought that about you!" she continued. It was then that Catra looked at Adora's face directly. Her eyes soften for a moment but then switched back to a scowl. She opens her mouth to talk, but was interrupted by the car behind them's honking. In response, Catra almost floored it, swerving.

Catra sat in silence until the next stoplight. Her chest was moving up and down rapidly. She clenched her jaw, not knowing what to do. She hadn't prepared for them to meet this soon. Or at all. She planned on never talking to or seeing Adora ever again. _"She didn't want to be friends anymore, so why should I? She made her choice."_ She catches Adora staring at her once more. Taking a deep breath, she looks at Adora again when the car stopped. "What is your problem? You've been staring at me all fucking day!" She knew. During practice, after practice, it wasn't subtle at all. "I've seen you gawking at me and shit."

Adora's eyes widened and her face flushed as soon as she registered the sentence. "What?! I wasn't... Not that much..." her heart raced. _"She saw?"_ It was massively embarrassing when someone catches you staring... but multiple times? She laughed nervously, wanting to jump off the nearest bridge.

"What, I'm not as you expected or something?" Catra laughed. _"Am I still not good enough for you?"_

"No! I just..." Adora crossed her arms. "I just... missed you, okay?" It wasn't completely a lie. She _did_ miss Catra, but that wasn't the reason why she'd been sneaking glances every chance she got. She couldn't explain it, _something_ about Catra kept drawing in her eyes like a magnet. She couldn't help it.

Catra flinched at the words, unsure of whether to feel happy or angry. _"Adora missed me?"_ she pursed her lips. _"That's a straight-up lie."_ She sneaked a glance at Adora, who was now tapping her fingers with her crossed arms, looking down. _"Of course it is."_ Catra grimaced when she sees raindrops cover her windshield. _"Really?"_ she groaned as she flipped the wipers on. Her mind raced with thoughts, grasping at anything to find a way to deal with the crisis on hand. She recognizes the familiar street of Adora's house and wanted to get some last words in before she left. She tried her best to not slam on the brakes.

"Adora," Catra said with a sharp inhale. "Don't fucking deny it, I saw you hang out with other people the same month I asked you like thirty times to go somewhere," she admitted, pulling up to the curb of Adora's house. "Like, you can make time for them but not even your _best friend?"_

"Wha-?" Adora dropped her arms.

"We're here. Get out," Catra cut in.

Adora bites her lip and turns to open the door, but was stopped.

"Actually, wait, before you go..." Catra unbuckles her seat belt and moves to unbutton her oversized jacket. She knew the walk from the curb to Adora's house wasn't short, and Adora would definitely get drenched.

"What are you...?"

Catra slides out of the loose jacket and tosses it over to Adora. It lands on the blonde's head. As she uncovers her head, strands of the newly disheveled hair poked out.

"Huh?" Adora's heart was about to jump out of her chest. Was she a masochist? Okay, maybe too extreme, but the borderline carrot and stick behavior from Catra was making her feel some type of way. She would act like such a brat just to make a complete one-eighty and show a sliver of kindness. Like, pick a side, Catra! _"_ _Please. I can't read your stupid mind no matter how hard I try."_ Adora pulled the jacket from her head and clutched it in her lap. "What's this for?" she asked. Adora stared at Catra in confusion. Well, more like the back of her head. Catra was looking outside the driver's seat window.

"Use it to not get wet from the rain, dummy," Catra muttered. "What else would it be for? Your new blanket?"

Adora groaned. "No! I know what it's for. I just meant... why?" The car ride, now the jacket. _"I don't get it!"_ Adora screamed mentally. _"Catra would be at my throat and then all of a sudden she's all nice!"_ The mixed signals were taking away what little brain cells Adora had left. Catra used to never be this confusing, they were always open books with each other. It was easy to tell what they were thinking, but now? What is this?

"...'Cause we promised to take care of each other," her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm not like you," she continues, gripping the side of her seat. "Just go." Catra unlocked the passenger side's door.

As Adora dashed to her porch under the cover of Catra's letterman jacket, she turned around once more to Catra's car after ringing the doorbell. _"What did she mean by that?"_ she hugged the borrowed jacket. She watched as Catra whip out her phone and call someone. The interior lights were still on. She hops over to the passenger's side and adjusts the seat down, allowing her to almost lay down. The last sight of Catra that Adora caught was her propping her feet up on the dashboard and putting her phone to her ear before the front door opened up. Adora turned around to face her mother.

"Adora?" her mother said. Her eyes caught the jacket Adora was holding on to. "Who brought you home? And whose is that?" she pointed to the jacket. It wasn't something she recognized.

"It's..." she took a moment to respond. "It's my friend's. She let me use it."

"Okay..." she took note of the weird pause. Leaning over Adora's shoulder, she looked closer at the car parked in front of their home. Taking a second to realize who was sitting inside, she gasped. "Is that Catra? Oh, I haven't seen her in so long!" she grins. "Here, let me go say hi to her-"

"N-No!" Adora's face drops. _"Oh, god... Why did I just do that? Now she thinks something is wrong! Ugh, what do I even say?"_

"Why not, honey?" she quirks an eyebrow in confusion. "What's wrong? Why can't I go talk to Catra?"

"I... She's... She's busy!" Adora stammered out. _"Really? That's the best you can think of? Now Mom is gonna **really** think someone's up!" _Adora was never good at lying, or acting in particular. Or thinking up things on the fly, it was one of her weaknesses. Whenever Catra and Adora got caught up, Catra was always the one to save their butts.

"Busy? But you always tell me she's busy," her mother put a hand on her hip. "C'mon, I haven't seen her in years! I missed her so much! At least let me say hello," she turned back into the doorway, leaning in to grab an umbrella lying on the wall. "Just for a quick second, Adora. It's not that bad."

* * *

**Nine Years Ago**

Adora and Catra stood over a broken vase. Catra was shaking like a leaf, almost crushing Adora's hand which she was holding. Earlier, they were playing tag inside Adora's house the morning after their sleepover. Catra pushed Adora a little too hard as a joke and Adora ended up knocking a vase over. It was surprising her mother didn't come rushing over at the huge noise it made when it shattered into like a billion pieces. Adora noticed Catra trembling and went to hug her as comfort. The two always had a knack for getting into trouble since the day they met. _"What are we gonna do now?"_ they thought in unison.

"I-I..." Catra babbled. Adora never saw Catra so... scared. Whenever they got in trouble, Catra was never this worried or panicky. She was the one who always got them out anyway. Something about this situation struck Adora as odd, but she didn't think too much about it. What she was focused on was making sure Catra was okay. "I didn't...!" Catra kept speaking in fragments, tearing up.

"It's okay, Catra! Mommy won't be that mad at us if we just tell her now," Adora gave Catra a little squeeze, pulling away after a few seconds. "Trust me," she wiped away Catra's tears, cupping her face in one hand. "If it makes you feel better, I'll tell mommy that it was my fault!" Adora hugged once more, Catra returning it this time.

"But it only broke because I pushed you!" Catra protested. "She's gonna be mad at you if you tell her that...!"

"Don't worry, Catra," Adora reassured her. "Everything will be fine, as long as we have each other's backs!"

Catra sniffled and held Adora's hand. "You promise?"

Giving her best friend the biggest grin ever, Adora pats her head. "Promise. Now, let's go tell my mom."

Almost dragging a reluctant Catra by the hand over to the kitchen where her mom was making lunch, she tapped her side. "Mommy?"

Adora's mother was peeling apples when they approached. Not paying too much mind to Adora at first, she spoke in a gentle, clear voice like always. "Yes, honey? What is it?" It wasn't uncommon for Adora to call for her often, but she never ignored her daughter. She was cutting fruit as a dessert for the little sandwiches she had prepped a few minutes earlier for the girls. She enjoyed making little treats throughout the day, the little kids' bright smiles making her happy whenever she brought them snacks and food. When she noticed Adora not answering, she paused and set the knife down. Turning around, she sees Adora fidgeting and Catra severely nervous. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Adora?"

"I... I broke the vase upstairs." Adora finally spat out. She looked up at her mom. "M-Me and Catra were playing tag, and then I fell... and then I knocked over the vase! Then it broke," she twirled the ponytail that was resting on her shoulder. "It wasn't Catra's fault! Don't be mad at her..."

The two jumped at the sudden laughter. "That's all? Girls, you were acting like you broke a window or something!" Adora's mother chuckled. "...You didn't, right?" she added.

"N-No! Only the vase!" Adora blurted out. She felt a sense of relief wash over her, but she saw that Catra was still tense. She still had her head down, holding on to Adora's hand tightly.

"You're not mad at us...?" she mumbled, trying to seem as small as possible. "You won't yell?"

Adora's mom sighed and gave a caring smile. She dusted her hands and bent down to Catra's height, the little girl taking a small step back in surprise. "Of course not, baby. It was just an accident. It happens," she said softly. She takes Catra's free hand and holds it with two of her own. It was then that Catra finally makes eye contact with her. Giving Catra's hand a little squeeze, she chuckles once more. "Now, you two promise to be more careful, alright? Or else I won't be so nice."

They both simultaneously stand up straight. "Yes, ma'am!" they saluted, giggling.

"See? I told you it'd be okay," Adora hugged Catra.

"Ah-ah, girls. Don't think I'll just let you off scot-free," Adora's mother joined. "After you finish with lunch, you two will clean up the mess. And Adora has to do extra chores for two weeks. That seems fair, yes?"

 _"Whaat? Mom...!"_ Adora groaned in complaint. She takes a glance at Catra and smirks. "Fine! But Catra can still come over, right?"

"Of course, you're not grounded, and Catra's always welcome here."

Catra grinned from ear to ear and jumped Adora's mother with a big hug. "Thank you so much!" she squealed. To avoid being knocked over like the vase, she had to grab a nearby counter to steady herself.

"Alright, eat your lunch before it goes bad." she ruffled Catra's hair a little.

As Adora and Catra ate their food, Catra gave Adora a few of her apple slices. "Sorry about the chores thing," she whispered. She expected to get in big trouble with Adora's mother but was pleasantly surprised when she wasn't angry at them. She wasn't really used to being let off like that. _"I like Adora's mom,"_ Catra hummed. _"She's really nice and pretty. And she always gives me yummy food."_ This was about her fifth sleepover at Adora's place, and each experience was amazing. It was like being on vacation all the time with her best friend. Her mom was the best mom she'd ever met. Catra had sleepovers with other girls too, but their moms were different. They were nice, but never as welcoming as Adora's mom. She was a big reason Catra always felt like Adora's home was her own.

The first time the two slept over together, it was weird. Adora and Catra were in the living room dancing to their favorite cartoon, and Adora's mom caught them. Instead of laughing a little and walking away, she asked if she could join in. Catra's first impression of Adora's mom was that she was a fun and nice lady. She was always interested in whatever the two were doing when they were together. Sometimes she didn't understand, but she tried anyway. As a housewife, she stayed at home most of the time. Whenever Catra visited, she was always invited to join the two in the shenanigans they often played.

Once Adora's mother left to go take a shower, Catra poked Adora's cheek. "Thanks for having my back," she mumbled, blushing.

"Of course!" Adora poked back. "I don't know why you were so scared of my mommy," she giggled. "You know she's not like that."

"Well, I was just scared," Catra retorted. "My auntie gets mad all the time, but my mom tells her to calm down."

"Oh." Adora didn't know what to say to that. "But no matter what, I have your back! And you have mine, right?"

"Duh, you big dummy! Why do you think I always bail us out whenever we get in trouble?"

"Then think of this as me repaying the favor!"

Adora's mother called from upstairs. "Are you two done yet? C'mon, the vase isn't gonna clean itself up, you know."

"Coming!" Adora shouted, barreling through the hallway with Adora and up the stairs. Catra couldn't help but giggle along with Adora's contagious laughter. Adora made even cleaning up fun.

As they swept up the ceramic pieces, Catra felt excited about their next sleepover. Coming here was always like a vacation from her family. She loved them but sometimes needed a break. She could count on Adora's house feeling like a second home and her family almost being one of her's. It was perfect.

* * *

**Present**

Catra tilted her head to the side to hold the phone between her head and her shoulder. She filed her left hand's nails as she waited for Scorpia to pick up. She debated on whether to go straight home or to stop by the diner, but a quick call to Scorpia couldn't hurt. She needed someone to talk to. Out of everyone in the friend group, Scorpia always listened without judgment. She was the best person to vent to, or sometimes even ask for advice.

Sure, Catra knew Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio the longest, but it felt like they were in their own bubble, Catra being on the sidelines. She was welcomed, but there was a lingering feeling of not fitting in. Entrapta was... Entrapta. Catra couldn't wrap her head around her. She saw the world in a different way, but that wasn't bad. The only advice Catra would even think about asking Entrapta is academic ones.

After a few moments of ringing, Scorpia picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Scorpia. Are you alone?" Catra started filing her other hand's nails after examining the one she was working on before.

"Yeah, I just got home. Glimmer's mom was nice enough to drop me off. What's up, Wildcat?"

Catra scoffed. "Thank fucking god you didn't say that stupid nickname in front of everyone."

"Aw, of course not. I like to think of it as a thing between you and me!"

Scorpia gave Catra one of the worst nicknames she had ever heard. Scorpia wasn't really good at names, but she definitely remembered faces. The first they had met, the only thing Scorpia had memorized about Catra was that her name had "Cat" in it, hence "Wildcat". Apparently, her rebellious personality was the cause of the godforsaken nickname. Annoying? Hell yeah. Endearing? Maybe.

"Anyway, guess what happened," Catra nonchalantly queried, focused on her nails.

"Oh my god, did you kill Adora?" Scorpia gasped audibly over the phone. "Are you calling me because you need help hiding the body? I'm on my way!" Catra heard her friend shuffling over the phone, presumably getting up from whatever she was doing.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? _**NO!**_ I just drove her home," Catra began. "I regret that decision with every step of my life."

"Why would you drive her home if you hate her so much?"

"Look, it was some stupid thing we did as kids," Catra cut in. "I'm an idiot for even remembering it."

"Come on, I bet it's not even that bad," Scorpia reassured.

"...I promised to always have her back," Catra groaned, rubbing her temples. "I couldn't just leave her there."

"Okay, hold on. She _left_ you and you still decided to help her out?"

"I know, I know!"

"Catra-"

"I just wanted to be different. I'm not like her, I keep my fuckin' promises," Catra crossed one of her legs. "I still hate her guts, if that's what you're wondering."

"You know you don't have to keep yours if she doesn't keep hers. I think you should've just left. I know it sounds mean, but it hurts to be with her, right? I know you're still mad-"

Catra's attention was taken away from three quick knocks on the window. She almost dropped her nail file jumping up. "Wait! Hold that thought, Scorpia. I'll call you back later, something just came up."

"What? Cat-"

Catra ended the call and adjusted her seat back up. As she rolled down the window, she sighed. "What the hell do you want now, Ado... oh." The person she expected was nowhere to be seen, and instead stood in front of Catra was their mother. _"What is she doing here? Lord, this is gonna be one awkward conversation."_

"Hello, Catra. What a nice surprise," Adora's mother cheerfully smiled.

Catra cleared her throat and sat up. "H-Hey, Mrs. Grayskull... sorry about that."

"Oh, it's alright. How are you doing, baby? Well, young lady is more fitting, yes? It's been so long since we've last seen each other."

 _"Oops, thanks for guilt-tripping me. No hard feelings though, ma'am."_ Taking a big gulp, Catra tried to sound as friendly and positive as possible. "Yeah, it's really been a while... and I'm fine. Nothing much has happened..."

"Is that so? Adora says otherwise," Mrs. Grayskull chuckled. Hearing that brought Catra serious deja vu. It calmed her in a way she hadn't felt in so long. She'd missed Mrs. Grayskull. Her kindness, her food, just hanging out with her in general. It sucked that they lost contact for years. Pushing memories aside, Catra was surprised at the words. _"What? What's Adora been saying about me?"_

"What... what do you mean?" Catra inquired. She bit the inside of her cheek in anticipation.

"My dearest has been telling me that you've been very, very busy," Mrs. Grayskull continued. "That's apparently the glaring reason why you haven't been able to visit us."

Catra's face flashed with confusion for a moment. _"Okay, wait, pause. Adora's been using the excuse that I was **busy?** You're kidding me. She couldn't tell her damn mom that she found new friends?" _She scratched her neck, voice laced with deception. It hurt to lie to Mrs. Grayskull like this, but she wasn't ready to tell her. She'd rather Adora break the news to her. "Yeah, yeah, that. My aunt moved away. She... she didn't leave without a goodbye present, if you know what I mean," Catra gave an awkward smile.

Mrs. Grayskull paused for a second, and then stuck her hand in the car, leaning in. "I see. Are you alright now?"

Once Catra took it, Mrs. Grayskull gave it a little squeeze. It was the same feeling as before when they had gotten in trouble for breaking the vase. "There is always a place for you here," she calmly said, voice soothing. "Although Adora's bed might be too small for the two of you now," she joked. "...Well, I won't keep you for too long. Adora said you were busy. Shall I expect a visit from you soon?" she let go of Catra's hand and placed it on the car's door.

Catra grimaced. "Yeah... Yeah, I'll come over sometime. Bye, Mrs. Grayskull. It was nice seeing you," Catra forced a smile. _"I don't really want to... but I owe it to her to at least make an effort, right?"_

"Likewise, Catra," she said, turning back to her house.

As Mrs. Grayskull approached the porch, she noticed Adora staring in worry. She sighed as she dropped the umbrella outside. "Adora."

"W-what, mom?" she stammered, sweating bullets. While holding both hands in front of her legs, her thumb circled her palm. _"I hope Catra played along... I **really** hoped she did."_

"Catra told me, in fact, that she had been busy like you said," Mrs. Grayskull stated.

"See? I told you-"

"But, she also called me Mrs. Grayskull instead of _Mara,"_ she added. "I tend to notice things, Adora."

"I-I..." Adora looked down, unsure of how to respond. I mean, how _do_ you respond when your mom catches you in a lie? A big one, at that.

"Don't worry, I won't pry... yet," she put a hand on Adora's shoulder. "I know that if you haven't told me yet, then you're not ready. I'll let you figure out when you _do_ want to tell me, though. I'll be here for you when you are," she slid her hand up to Adora's face, caressing it. "I'll always be here for you."

Adora put her hand on top of her mother's, leaning into it. "Thanks, Mom. I really needed that," she whispered.

_"Fuuuuck,"_ Catra groaned. She leaned back against the seat. _"Why the hell did I make that promise?_ _"_ she facepalmed. _"Okay, wait, no, Mara didn't do anything. Nevermind, that's even worse! I stopped talking to her for years just because of stupid Adora!"_ Catra took a glance at her phone, suddenly remembering she put Scorpia on hold. She clicked her tongue and got back to the driver's side. If she was gonna continue the conversation, it was definitely not gonna be in front of Adora's house. She's loitered around too long already. She adjusted her seat and buckled her seatbelt on. Taking a big sigh, she started the car and pulled out of the once frequented street.

Adora watched as Catra left at her bedroom window. She had just finished changing out of her jeans and sweater and into shorts and a t-shirt. The shirt was an old, raggedy print of both of their favorite cartoon when they were younger. Keeping her eyes on the car until it disappeared, she couldn't help but think about what Catra had told her on the ride over. Did Catra really think Adora cut her off? That never happened. _"I texted so many times once school started, I don't know what she's talking about when she told me that **I** stopped talking to her." _She turned around to her desk, where she had placed Catra's jacket before she went to change her clothes.

 _"She didn't reply at all for weeks, so I..."_ Adora reached out to touch it but paused. _"I thought she didn't like me anymore,"_ she traced her finger along the Horde High logo on the back of the jacket. Adora had planned to make it up to Catra for not being able to hang out with her during summer vacation but wasn't able to. The program she enrolled in to even get accepted to Bright Moon Academy took up too much of her time. As her thoughts, finished, Adora found herself picking up the jacket. Seeing Catra after all these years... she didn't know what to think. Happiness? Regret? She brought the jacket close to her face, hugging it. One thing for sure, though, was that she missed Catra. She never forgot the memories the two made during the years and years they had spent together.

Catra's jacket still lingered with her scent, and it brought nostalgia to Adora. It was sweet and mysteriously calming, just like how being with Catra used to be. Even if it caused Adora to want more, it was a small source of comfort. With a shaky breath, she put it back on the desk and practically jumped on her bed. How would she get through the next few weeks before the gig? When she got a call from Glimmer, she didn't expect to come running to the sight of her ex-best-friend, who quite frankly, was very unhappy to see her. Adora couldn't hold it against Glimmer, though. She didn't know. _"This is what I get for telling no one,"_ she rolled over to her side.

What was odd to her, however, was Glimmer and Bow knowing students from Horde High. The two schools were known rivals. Adora made a quick mental note to ask her friends about that later. Turning over again to her back, she pulled up the blankets from under her body. Honestly, the whole situation drained a lot of energy from her, and it didn't help that she got into an argument right after reuniting with Catra. She sighed, covering her eyes with her arm. Sleep came easily. 

Parking in front of the side entrance of her favorite diner, Catra turned her car off. She grabs her phone and re-dials Scorpia. While she waits once more at the tone, she looks at the establishment. It surprisingly stayed the same all these years. It was happy hour, so the joint was bustling with customers doing god knows what this late at night.

"Dangit, Catra! Do you know how worried I was waiting for you to call back?" Scorpia piped up on the other side of the call.

"Sorry, sorry. It was really important," Catra replied. "Mara wanted to talk."

"Mara... as in Adora's mom?"

Catra fiddled with the cat plushie dangling from the rear-view mirror. "Yeah..."

"How'd it go then? You've only told me good things about her."

"I mean, as well as it could," Catra checked the tag of the plushie, looking for something to occupy her mind. _"I probably also learned a few things I shouldn't have,"_ she thought. _"Like, the fact that Adora didn't even tell her whole ass mom the reason why we stopped talking."_ Even if things were strained between Adora and her, Catra still had a soft spot for Mara. If she couldn't count on Adora having her back, Mara definitely would have it. It was just... avoiding Adora included avoiding her. "I promised her that I'd visit her again soon."

"Um... wouldn't that mean..."

"Yeah, but listen. I only agreed in the heat of the moment. I felt bad too, dude. You expect me to say no to someone who practically raised me?"

"I mean... yes? If you're uncomfortable..." Scorpia drawled, seemingly confused at what Catra was pointing at.

"Okay, that was a rhetorical question. I'm just doing the bare minimum of repaying Mara back," Catra tapped her foot on the floor of her car. "Anyway, what were you saying about Adora again? Before I put you on hold?"

"Um..." Scorpia took a while to end that "um", so Catra opted to remind her.

"You were like, "you're still mad at Adora" or whatever. I forgot the rest," Catra recited. "Something like that."

"Right, right! Catra, I honestly think you should forget about whatever promises you made with her."

Catra grips the plushie. "What do you mean?"

"You want to avoid her, and you told me that you only drove her back home because of the promise you made, right?"

"...Yep," Catra replied.

"Just forget about them. Adora already made it clear that they don't mean anything to her. She left you, remember? It won't do you any good to spend unnecessary time with her," Scorpia explained.

Scorpia paused for a minute. "Well, that's _if_ you want to keep running away. I did some thinking after you hung up, and I think I know why you really gave her a ride home."

Catra narrowed her eyes and leaned back on her seat. "And why is that, Scorpia? What are you getting at?"

"You miss her."

"Okay, I'm hanging up now. Goodbye," Catra put down her phone but heard Scorpia shout through the speakers. Picking up her phone once more, she sighed in agitation.

"Wait, wait!" Scorpia corrected. "I meant like, you want closure!" she added. "And I agree with you, you can't stay mad forever. It's best to just move on."

"So what the hell do you want me to do?" Catra hissed, clearly not interested in the conversation. _"Who is Scorpia to tell **me** what I think about Adora? I know myself."_

"I know you won't like it, but you should talk to Adora. Clear things up. I don't know the exact details, but you've told me enough for me to form my own opinions."

"I don't want to see her, though."

"If you deal with this now, you won't have to worry about her ever again, think of it like that."

"Alright, alright. I'll sit on it," Catra groaned. "I'll talk to you later, Scorpia. Thanks."

"Of course, Wildcat. Anytime. I'm always here for you," Scorpia said.

When Catra noticed that it had stopped raining, she rolled down the windows of her car. The crisp, cold air quickly filled inside, leaving Catra with a relaxing atmosphere. Her heart couldn't stop pounding, her head also throbbing. _"Why do things have to be so fucking complicated?"_ she took a whiff of the diner's scent of bacon and steak, their signature dishes. She knew that she hated Adora. Talking to her made her shake with anger. Seeing her caused her breath to quicken because she was so fucking mad.

...But something about Scorpia's words struck a chord. Catra wasn't running away, she was just... doing what she was before. Going on with life. People come and go, and Adora was one of them. It pissed her off that every little thing reminded her of Adora. The second Catra thought she'd move on, she always found herself reminiscing about the times they had together.

That sucks, right? It just supported her idea of life. It doesn't matter how strong a bond is, people always leave. Stretching, Catra set the windows back up and slid out of her car, careful not to trip after sitting for so long. She locked the doors and entered the diner. The bright lights and loud chattering wasn't uncommon. It was something she expected. After ordering the usual, she turned around to find a table to sit at. As she searched, she met eyes with the band members from before. Bow smiled and waved her over. He was sitting across from Glimmer. Reluctantly, she slowly walked over to see what he wanted. "What's up?" she called.

"Here for a late-night snack?" he scooted over to make room for Catra. "Come sit with us!" he offered. "There's some room here."

"I was just gonna get it to-go..." Catra lied. Talking to them didn't look so appealing at the moment.

"C'mon, don't be like that! We wanna get to know you better!" Glimmer, with her arm propped on the table, rested her head on her palm. "At least stay for a little."

"Fine," Catra conceded. She wasn't one to deal with peer pressure easily. She took a seat next to Bow and rested her arm on the booth's frame. _"I just wanted to eat, but now I have to deal with them?"_

"So, do you come here often?" Bow turned to Catra.

"That sounds like a pick-up line, dude," Glimmer playfully chided.

"How else am I supposed to ask her? Do you dine at this establishment more than occasionally?" he shot back.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Glimmer groaned.

"I'm a regular," Catra admitted. "I've been coming here since I was a little kid."

"Really? Me and Glimmer only found it recently. Adora introduced us to this place, said it was her favorite," Bow recalled. "I remember the first time I came here. I thought I had the best steak and eggs in my life. Still think that."

 _"Of course Adora showed them the joint."_ Catra furrowed her brows. They were her new friends, after all. Well, to be fair, Catra also brought her friends here often. She and Scorpia visit at least twice a week to hang out or get some grub. It was also where they all hung out as a group for celebrations or just get-togethers. Catra, Scorpia, Entrapta, Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle. Good food, good atmosphere. What more could they ask for in a spot?

The next few words that Catra heard almost ruined her night.

"Speaking of Adora..." Glimmer snuck in. "What happened to you two?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2: The Ride (A.K.A Adora being constantly confused and me hyping up her amazing mom) LMAO
> 
> If you're liking the series, please leave a comment/kudo! I also accept criticism/feedback! I appreciate you all for reading this trashfic!
> 
> Q/A: Power bottom Catra or Top Catra? :) For unrelated purposes...


	3. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Three: The Talk(s)  
> And also more flashback exposition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honey, you've got a big storm coming.
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/nq34ialjsuaza21t84z6aqujy/playlist/6DPGCnDInOrS3Hw2CUd34x?si=YwR2urBCSbKsxvHvww8GPA  
> I updated the playlist if any of you are interested! It has some of my favorite songs.
> 
> Also, Happy New Year's!! Enjoy the extra long chapter.

Glimmer and Bow almost passed out as soon as they hit the couch in the living room. Stretching his limbs and bumping Glimmer with a leg, he sighed. "So, remember when your mom told us to move _a few things?_ _"_ Bow air quoted. "I don't care how much you're gonna guilt-trip me for leaving those two alone, I definitely don't regret bringing Scorpia along."

Right after they had left to help Glimmer's mom, she bombarded them with rows of boxes and boxes _and boxes._ Apparently, she had been cleaning out the attic and found a "few" things she meant to sell ages ago.

"Okay, I agree, but you felt that thing earlier too, right?" she pushed Bow's foot off of her. "That was really weird," she added.

"Totally. I've never seen Adora act like that. She's usually all happy and carefree."

"Why are you describing her like that?"

"It's true though!" Bow turned on his side. "Let's go talk to Adora at the diner tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Glimmer paused for a second. "What do you think about Scorpia's friend? Catra?" In her opinion, her first impressions of Catra were pretty positive. She seemed really cool and fun to be around, their jam session highlighting that. She was pretty nice to them too, but the sudden switch in personality when Adora popped in was weird. _"Adora left her..."_ she thought.

Scorpia didn't give her much to go off of, but what she said to them in the hallway before didn't seem that serious for Catra to be so weird around Adora. Maybe weird isn't the best word for it, but what else could describe that? _"There's probably more to the story, right?"_

"I like her," Bow grinned. "She's really good at guitar. I felt like a damn amateur next to her." In all honesty, Bow had never met someone who easily fit in with the group as fast as Catra.

"Definitely."

Awkward possible emotional baggage aside, Catra alreadywon them over. Glimmer wasn't sure what to think at first; Catra had one of those "RBF'S", or resting bitch face. When she first saw her, she assumed the girl was 100% not interested nor happy about being called in. It was strange seeing her being able to flip vibes so easily, but she seemed like an interesting person.

As Glimmer got up from the couch to go to her room, her stomach let out an audible growl. She turned to look at Bow, who was already grinning like an idiot. _"God, I already know what he's gonna say..."_

"Late-night food run?" he suggested, already putting on his coat.

"Ugh, Bow! We're going there tomorrow though," she crossed her arms.

"And...?" he opened the front door, holding his hand out to Glimmer.

She looked down at his hand, contemplating it for a second. Once she decided, she met his eyes with a grin that matched his. "I'm down," she giggled, taking his hand.

Glimmer hopped in her car, turning the ignition to let the engine settle as Bow slid in beside her. "How much do you wanna bet that Octavia's working right now?" she asked.

"No way, she only works nights during the weekend," he waved her off, scoffing.

"Loser pays the bill?"

"You're on!"

It was a risky bet, but Glimmer would rather not break out her wallet right now, seeing as she's gonna be buying breakfast tomorrow morning. She turned the corner after the stoplight and pulled up to the parking lot. She takes a peek at the windows of the diner, doing a little victory dance in her head as she saw Octavia clearing out a table. _"Score!"_ Getting out of the car, she twirls her key chain. "Ready to treat me?" she smirks.

In response, Bow groans. "Okay, that's bull! She _never_ works on Fridays at night!" he put both of his arms out, exasperated. "Did you secretly tell her to so you could win a bet? There’s no way you should’ve known.”

”Maybe I’m just lucky... or I had a premonition.” she playfully elbows Bow, striding past him afterward.

The two walked in together, claiming their favorite booth. They’re settling in from the cold when Octavia leans on the table with a raised eyebrow. “Didn’t expect you kids here this late,” she remarked. “What can I get for ya’?”

”A strawberry milkshake and house fries please,” Glimmer smiled. “Just a little something-something tonight.”

Bow frowned. “Seeing as I’m paying, I’ll just get the same order.”

“Oh? Did you lose a bet?” Octavia said knowingly. “What was it this time?”

”We bet on whether or not you were here tonight, _which,_ you shouldn’t be!” he rested his chin on his hand. “I thought you didn’t work nights during the week?”

”Ugh, don't remind me. D.T had something come up, so I gotta pick up a double shift tonight for them.” she scoffed. “They owe me big time.”

“Oh, I see,” Bow replied. They saw "D.T" a few times in the diner, but never really talked to them. They were eccentric, but that didn't put Bow and Glimmer off from introducing themselves. There was just not a good opportunity to.

”Anyway, I gotta get going now. I’ll swing by with your orders in a jiffy,” Octavia walked off.

A few moments pass when the door’s bell let out a little jingle from being opened. Catra walked in, seemingly occupied with something. She briskly approached the counter.

”Hey, Bow. Look,” Glimmer grabbed Bow’s jacket sleeve to get his attention. “It’s Catra.”

”Really?” he turned his head over to where Glimmer was looking. Seeing Catra at the register probably ordering something, he piped up. “Do you want to talk to her?”

”Of course! This is a good time to get to know her a little better. I’m pretty surprised she knows this place.”

”Okay, okay, let me call her over then when she’s done.”

”Should we ask her about her deal with Adora?”

”Dude, what is wrong with you? We just met her today! That’s a bit of a loaded question for someone we just met,” Bow put his hand up.

”But I’m curious!”

”Well, I am too, but how about we wait until we actually know her to ask?”

Dropping a bomb like that immediately is an awful idea. He figured it was really serious considering Catra's reaction to seeing Adora and Scorpia's refusal to tell them about the situation. Thinking about the best time to ask her, he decided on maybe their third or fourth meeting. _"I prefer to not piss people I don't know off."_

“Fine...” tapped Glimmer after seeing that Catra finished up at the register. “Oh, you can call her over now. I think she’s looking for a table.”

Bow was about to shout Catra’s name until she made eye contact with them. Instead, he promptly gave his signature welcoming smile and waved her over. They’re glad when she trudges over to their booth.

”What’s up?” Catra raised a brow, wondering what could they ever want from her at that moment.

"Here for a late-night snack?" Bow scooted over to make room for Catra. "Come sit with us!" he offered. "There's some room here."

"I was just gonna get it to-go..." Catra replied, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"C'mon, don't be like that! We wanna get to know you better!" Glimmer, with her arm propped on the table, rested her head on her palm. "At least stay for a little." She tried to seem as enticing as possible.

The two happily sigh in relief as Catra took the seat that Bow offered, which was beside him. “...Fine” she sighed, resting her arm on the booth’s frame.

"So, do you come here often?" Bow turned to Catra, now facing her.

"That sounds like a pick-up line, dude," Glimmer playfully chided.

"How else am I supposed to ask her? Do you dine at this establishment more than occasionally?" he shot back.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Glimmer groaned.

"I'm a regular," Catra admitted. "I've been coming here since I was a little kid."

"Really? Me and Glimmer only found out about it recently. Adora introduced us to this place, said it was her favorite and all," Bow recalled. "I remember the first time I came here. I thought I had the best steak and eggs in my life. Still think that."

* * *

** Six Months Ago **

Bow reclined on his chair, resting his legs on the desk. Glimmer had just lost the bet they made earlier about whether or not the teacher would notice that they switched seats for a period. In Bright Moon Academy, students have a "homeroom" where they would stay throughout the day, and teachers would rotate during each period. To put it short, your classmates for the year are who you see for seven hours a day.

It was break, which was fifteen minutes long, and Glimmer left a little earlier to get the snacks that the winner was promised. He perked his head up when he noticed Glimmer returning to the classroom through the windows. As she entered, he hollered, much to her dismay. "Thanks for the free food!" he readjusted his posture, now sitting normally.

Glimmer borrowed his next-door neighbor's seat, pulling it closer to his desk. She sat down backwards, the back of the chair facing her. Resting her chin on the backrest, she sighed. "Okay, I knew Mrs. Razz was old, but not _senile."_ Mrs. Razz, or _Madame Razz_ as many people prefer to call her, had been a long-time staff member at the school. She was peculiar but in an endearing way.

Like most of the teachers, Madame Razz had a seating chart to easily see where students sat. When Bow started noticing her mixing people up every now and then, he put a potential bet on the list he'd made for him and Glimmer to try out. Most were in his favor, but let's not tell Glimmer.

"So...?" he grinned. He eyed the plastic bag Glimmer had brought back.

She did a mock face of distaste before reaching behind her and pulling out the bag, placing it on her friend's desk. " _Yeeeep,_ here they are, as promised," she moved to untie the knot but was almost knocked over by Bow practically diving to chow down on the snacks. "Jesus, how about you wait for a second first?"

Ripping open a bag, he tossed a chip into his mouth. "Sorry, ma'am, but this winner over here skipped breakfast!"

Glimmer raised a brow and reached inside the bag for a pop. "Oh? And why is that? I know you're not the one for giving up food," she giggles.

"Ugh, don't even get me started," Bow munches on the last of the chips in the first bag, holding it above his head to down the crumbs. "I stayed up until like three A.M in the morning to study for the stupid math quiz today," he groans, crumpling the empty bag and tossing it back in the plastic bag. "Which, I probably bombed." 

"Okay, yikes," Glimmer added. "This is what, the third time you've ever pulled an all-nighter?"

"Girl, you know I'm in it to win it," he grabbed another snack. This time, it was candy. Gummy worms to be exact. Last week they made another bet on their next math test. If Glimmer scored higher than him, he'd owe her a free meal. She's yet to decide where, as she's fairly confident that it was her victory. Ever since they were young, they had back-to-back friendly competitions under the guise of "bets". No hard feelings, of course. The two aren't just doing it for free stuff but as a means of repaying each other.

"Yeah, yeah," Glimmer gave a playful jab at his shoulder. "Anyway, did you hear about the new project Mr. Hawk assigned?"

"Um... you're telling me _now?_ Like, five minutes before he's about to walk in and assign it?"

"It slipped my mind!"

"A _whole project_ slipped your mind?!" Bow fake cries into his disgusting chip-dust covered hands. "It's over! You know every time he gives us a project it's literally twenty-times harder than it should be and worth too much of our grade!"

Chris Hawk, C. Hawk, A.K.A. Mr. Hawk is a cool and fun-loving teacher but was devastatingly notorious for handing out difficult assignments. It's like teachers are one or the other, cool but hard, boring but easy. Even so, he was Bow's favorite teacher by far. Admiring his many anecdotes, Bow looks forward to his class daily. Unfortunately, it's not common among classmates to share the same sentiment.

"Do you know what it's about?" Bow asks.

"I heard that it’s something about making a boat."

"Doesn't... doesn't he teach English?"

Glimmer shrugs and copied the same confused look Bow had on his face. "Look, I don't know either."

They continue their small talk for a few more minutes when their unique teacher bursts in, a little more chipper than usual. **_"Gooooood morning!"_** he shouts, arms straight in the air to show excitement. A couple of students groaned in response, fully knowing well what this was going to lead to.

"I've had an amazing, amazing morning today," he began, setting down his coffee on his desk. "The barista I've been oh, so longing for..." he cheerfully hums as he rummages through his back pocket. "Finally gave me her number!!!" Mr. Hawk happily presented it to the class in its full glory.

"Tell me why this middle-aged man is sharing this with teenagers," Glimmer whispered to Bow, tapping him on the shoulder. She had returned to her usual seat behind him on the left before the bell rang.

"Well, I think it's cute!" he pouted, paying no mind to her negativity. "Romance isn't dead after all!"

After going on a small tangent, Mr. Hawk clapped his hands together to signal a change in topic. "Alrighty then," he reached inside his bag to take out a small stack of papers. Straightening it out, he starts walking around the room to pass them out. "I have a special assignment for you all today," he continued, striding from row to row.

As each student was handed a sheet, a small glance over the instructions caused them to frown. Mr. Hawk took quick notice and tried to brighten the mood. "Now, I know this may seem weird, but trust me! There is a reason for everything."

Once he is finished, he walks back to his desk, facing the class. "This will be a _group project,_ by the way."

The second those words left his mouth, many students sighed in frustration. Not Bow and Glimmer though. They shot each other a knowing look. They worked together on every single group project, even ones that didn't allow them to pick partners by luck of the draw. However, this wasn't an issue, as Mr. Hawk always allowed students to pick their partners. What a great guy.

As the class settled after people moving to sit with their preferred partners, Mr. Hawk was met with Adora standing by his desk with her hands behind her back. She quietly called him, unsure of how to break the news to him. "Um... Mr. Hawk?" she inched a little closer towards him.

"Yes, Adora?" he twisted his office chair to face her. "Do you have a question?"

"I don't have a partner," she looks down at her feet, embarrassed.

"Oh dear," he pursed his lips, thinking about what to do. Usually, this wasn't a problem. "No, no, don't worry, my friend!" he quickly looks around. Meeting eyes with a few students, he settles on Bow and Glimmer. "Let's go on a little adventure, Adora. Follow me," he leads her towards the duo.

"Um, okay..." she shuffles behind him. _"I hope they don't hate me for intruding."_

"Hello, hello, my fellow Bright Mooners," Mr. Hawk leaned on a nearby desk, unfortunately for the owner. "Our friend here is looking for a group to call home," he winked at the two. "Would you be so kind as to accept her?" At that point, Adora wanted to crawl in a hole and die. That was the worst introduction someone had ever given her, much less by a teacher.

She caught the two giving each other a look. Bow and Glimmer... She never formally introduced herself to them, but she heard a few things about them. Adora didn't interact with them much, even if it had been months since the school year started. For four years they were in the same music program.

Before letting them give an answer, Mr. Hawk dropped Adora off and went back to his desk to stare at his phone, probably thinking about what to text to the barista.

Looking at Adora, Glimmer smiled. "Hey, Adora, right?" she scoots over to make room for the new member to sit.

"You know my name?" Adora scratched her cheek with her index finger. Dragging a spare chair over to the group, she cautiously takes a seat.

"Yeah...? We're in the same class! Also, you're in the row behind me in band," giving a small smack on Adora's back. "Of course I'd know you," she grinned. "Though you probably never met Bow, since he's a percussionist."

"Oh, of course!" Adora chuckled. "Sorry, sometimes I'm out of it."

"Okay, wait. Quick question," Bow interjected, leaning towards Adora. "Do you think Mr. Hawk's stories are good?"

"Actually, I do," she replied. "I like hearing little stories about him, they're always so interesting."

"See?! I'm not the only one, hoe!" Bow pointed to Glimmer.

"Oh, god. Why did you just say that? Now he's..." Glimmer looked at Adora in pain.

"What's your favorite story so far?" Bow excitedly grabs both of Adora's hands. "C'mon, tell me!"

Adora paused for a second, thinking about it. "I'm pretty sure it's the one where..."

The three quickly hit it off, easily getting lost in the conversation. Weeks flew by as they worked on their boat project. Setting up meet-ups and such, they started hanging out more often. On the day of the presentation, Adora suggested a place to celebrate at after classes; her favorite diner. Never have heard of the joint, the other two were excited to visit as Adora had hyped it up so much.

When Mr. Hawk's class rolled around, the long-anticipated presentations were cut short when he set all of the boats on fire after announcing that every student would get full credit for the project. Many watched in worry as he laughed maniacally at the mini-bonfire he created outside.

When the dismissal bell rang, Adora ran to Bow and Glimmer's seats. "Are you guys ready? I've been craving food for _hours."_ she was all packed up and ready to go... and it hadn't even been a minute after the bell.

"Chill, girl!" Bow called out. He was almost scared at Adora's freakishly eagerness to get food. He shared the same love of food, but not to that degree. "Let us clean up first. Then Glimmer can drive us there."

Taking Glimmer's car, they drive over to the diner's parking lot from school. It wasn't that much of a trip, but that's because they were driving there. As the three get out, Adora's already rushing to the front doors. Bow and Glimmer looked at each other, then shrugged. Looking up at the blinking sign, Bow smiled. "The Crimson Waste?" he remarked, chuckling.

They shortly follow her in, taking in the place. It felt welcoming and familiar with crowded booths and distant chatter of people who seemed to be regulars, exchanging pleasantries with the staff workers. Adora pulled her friends into a booth, grinning like an idiot.

"Trust me, you won't regret going here!" she waves over a waitress, who acted like they've known each other for a while. "Hey, Octavia," Adora called. "Meet my friends!"

Bow and Glimmer give a friendly wave to Octavia in response. She was a tall, muscular woman. They noticed some scars on her left eye, as if it almost got scratched out. The waitress sets the menus she was holding down at the table. Once done, she looks over the group. "Not here this time either, huh?" she sighed. Who was she talking about?

Adora gulped, tapping on the table. "No... not today."

Ignoring the weird interaction, Bow grabbed the menu and flipped through it. "Any recommendations? I dunno which one I want," Bow studied each page. "They all look pretty good."

Octavia grinned and turned to walk away. "I'll come back in a bit, yeah?"

"Can't go wrong with steak and eggs," Adora pointed at the line. "It's pretty good."

"Steak at 2 P.M.?" Bow looked up, confused. "Screw it, sure. I'll order that." he shrugged. "What about you, Glimmer? Anything caught your eye?" he leaned over to see which page she was on.

"Hm..." she rubbed her chin, focused on the page. "I'm between the waffles and apple pie," she added. "I'm feeling something sweet. I'm already getting a strawberry milkshake."

"Oh, go for the pie! It's their specialty!" Adora jumped in. "My friend and I always shared..." she trailed off, realizing what she said. "They usually don't disappoint with the apple pie."

"Alright, I'm trusting you on this one, Adora," Glimmer smirks. "Well, we're all ready to order, right?"

"Okay, I'll call Octavia over again," Adora perked up. She'd been waiting for a while now. "Hey, Octavia! We're ready." she waved to get her friend's attention. Once the waitress returned, she had a notepad and pen out to take their orders.

"What's up?" she commented.

"One apple pie and an order of steak and eggs, please."

"And the usual for you?" Octavia added, already writing it down.

"You know it."

Octavia walked over to the counter to put their order in, leaving the group alone to talk. They joked around about the whole ordeal about Mr. Hawk burning their boats and other inside jokes long enough for their meals to be ready.

The food presentation was amazing, leaving the newcomers staring in awe with their mouths watering. Adora just laughed in joy as she saw them just looking at their plates like they've never seen food before, not regretting showing them the place. She caught a stray tear falling from Bow's face as he took his first bite and almost doubled over in laughter, much to his chagrin.

After their first dine-in experience together, they opted to make it their spot to hang out after classes. A few months pass and they were full-fledged regulars.

**Two Months Ago**

Bow picked up his phone to check the group chat that he, Glimmer, and Adora were in. He glanced at the alarm clock next to his bed. _"Six P.M..."_ Swiping through the texts he missed, he goes to type in an invitation. After a few minutes, his friends responded.

<-Bow: crimson waste in fifteen?  
<-Bow: kinda hungry, just woke up from nap

->Glimmer: Down

->Adora: Can't, skipping this time. I'm busy tonight.

<-Bow: next time

He rolls out of his bed and slides into his jeans that were laying the on floor, buttoning the pants as he shimmied towards the door. Giving one last glance at his messy bed, he shrugs and walks out. _"I"ll clean it when I get back."_

Bow biked the rest of the way there. He hurried inside and claimed "their" spot, the one they always sit at. It was the one right next to the corner booth and also had a view of the window. All the regulars sat in the same spot, including the three. Octavia strolled by and put a hand on her hip. "I didn't expect to see you here this late," she grins. She pulled out a notepad, already writing down his order. "Alone today?"

"No, Glimmer's dropping in any second now. She'll take the usual," Bow leaned away, back against the window. He turned around for a quick second as he noticed a car's bright light pulling in the parking lot. "Oh, that's her right there."

Octavia gave a nod and went back to her business. It wasn't long before Bow heard the door give a little jingle as Glimmer skipped in. She slid in the booth, seat opposite of Bow. "Did you already order?"

"Yeah, I did. Sorry for calling you out this late," he rested his head on the table, laying on top of his arms. "I'm supposed to get take-out for dinner tonight, so I thought, 'why not here?', you know?"

"Your dads aren't home?"

"Nah, they're visiting relatives," Bow adjusted his seat as he saw Octavia round the corner with their meals. "I finished the leftovers yesterday, so I gotta put down some money."

As they dug into their food, Glimmer raised a question. "Hey, did you find anyone who wants to join?" The two had been planning it for a while, but it was hard recruiting others for a band. People weren't interested or just... didn't fit with them. Their search wasn't looking too good, but they didn't want to give up. Even if it doesn't work out, they had each other anyway. "No luck on my side," she scooped a piece of her cheesecake and put it in her mouth.

"Well, I found some guy named Taylor who was a little interested, but I'll have to ask him again," Bow sighed. "I didn't know it'd be _this_ hard to start a band!" he groaned, but was quickly in a better mood after taking a bite of his steak. When he looked back up at Glimmer, his soul almost left his body. Some random girl was now turned around, leaning on the booth's frame and staring at them with a slightly off-putting grin. She was huge. Like... tall. And muscular. He widened his eyes, which were darting between Glimmer and the stranger. Hoping to get her attention, he cleared his throat. What the hell are you supposed to do when someone you've never met before is _staring into your soul?_

"G-Glimmer..." he grunted through his teeth. "Glimmer...!" This was literally the worst time for her to have selective hearing. Once he realized Glimmer was not gonna notice him calling her, he nudged her under the table with his foot.

"What?" she replied, a little annoyed... and unaware of the situation. She furrowed her brows when she looked up to Bow's face, seeing him in distress. "What is it?"

"Don't look now, but behind..." Bow didn't even get to finish his sentence before Glimmer immediately turned her head. "What the fuck!!" he muttered. _"I'm a damn idiot for telling her not to look in the first place!"_ She was the type to always do the opposite of what he says. It was somehow ingrained in her nature.

When Glimmer made eye contact with the stranger, she dropped her fork in shock. "Jesus Christ!!" she yelped. "Who are you?!" jumping back, she pressed her back to the table.

The stranger was also surprised. "O-Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" she waved her arms around in defense. "I just heard you guys were looking for someone to join your band!"

"Uh... yeah..." Bow rubbed his fingers. _"Um... who the hell is this?"_

She hopped over and settled in right next to Glimmer, who was rightfully confused out of her mind. "I know this is a really bad first impression, but I swear I'm good for it!" she smiled brightly. Okay, super weird, but she totally emitted cinnamon roll energy.

"Really? What do you play?" 

"Keyboard! I've been practicing pretty often lately. I've thought about starting a band too, but I hit the same slump as you. It's not easy finding members," she bounced her leg up in down, tapping the floor with the heel of her foot. "Give me a chance? Please?" she gave them the best puppy dog eyes she could muster up.

After giving a blank stare for a few seconds, Glimmer opened her mouth to reply. “...You know what? Sure, why not," she giggled. "It wouldn't hurt to let you try out."

"Yeah, we have a meet-up tomorrow, you can hang out with us there!" Bow pointed his fork at the stranger. Usually, he didn’t accept random people off the bat, but she felt different. He had a good feeling about her.

"For real?! Thank you so much!" she hugged Glimmer. "Here's my number." she took a napkin and scribbled a few digits on it, sliding it to the middle of the table when she finished. Octavia came by shortly after, letting out an audible sigh.

"Are you harassing the regulars now?" she joked.

"What?! I'm a regular too!" the stranger playfully jabbed at the waitress. She took a glance at the bag Octavia was holding and gasped. "Oh, right! Sorry, but I gotta go. I was waiting for my take-out order. I'm picking some stuff up for me and my friend, she really wanted an apple pie." Getting up, she grabs the bag that Octavia placed on the table before going back to work. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then!" she waved.

"Wait! You didn't tell us your name!" Bow called out. "I'm Bow, and this is my friend Glimmer."

The girl stopped and raised a brow. "I totally forgot to tell you, huh?" she chuckled.

"The name's Scorpia."

* * *

** Present **

It was odd when Catra subtly flinched after hearing Bow say that sentence. Her eyes narrowed slightly. Trying not to think too hard about it, Bow grasped at any conversation starters he could find in his head. Unfortunately, Glimmer beat him to the punch with what he could imagine as the worst thing she could ever say at the time.

"Speaking of Adora..." Glimmer snuck in. "What happened to you two?"

Catra’s neutral face quickly turned into a scowl. “What?” she uttered. _"What is she on?"_ Now she was _really_ regretting the decision to come over. _"Should I just leave?"_ It wouldn't be rude at that point, seeing as Glimmer already stepped over a line.

Bow facepalmed. “Glimmer, what the fuck? What did I just say?” he turned his attention to her. “I literally told you _not_ to ask her that, and look at what you do!”

Catra quirked her mouth to the side. _"They were talking about me before this? The hell did they say?"_ Her first impressions of them weren't of note, but this second encounter was something else. She glanced over to behind the register, where the cooks were. They didn't seem close to finishing her orders, so she was stuck here for a little bit longer.

He turned once more back to Catra, who was almost seething on the spot. “Okay, okay! I know that was a **_really_** personal thing to ask,” he shot a glare at Glimmer, then looked back. “But please pretend she didn’t say anything!”

Catra’s frown deepened, but she relaxed her face after a big sigh. Crossing her arms, she growled. “What’s your problem? Do you always ask people you just met their life story?”

”No! She’s just... ugh. Can you ignore the question?” he pleaded. “Let’s talk about something else! Like... how’d you meet Scorpia?”

Catra scoffed. “Really? That’s your best ice-breaker? Fine, I’ll bite.” She moved her arm from the booth’s frame to the table. “We met at school, that’s all.”

 _”Ooookay, this is a bad start.”_ Bow laughed nervously. It was going well until fucking Glimmer asked that stupid question!

"How about..." he gulped. "Do you have any pets?"

"A cat. His name is Melog, in case you were wondering." she relaxed her shoulders. Catra always liked talking about Melog. He's basically her baby. "Scorpia goes crazy whenever she sees him."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Red," Catra sighed. "God, are we playing Twenty Questions now?"

Glimmer wiped the sweat off her brow and tried her turn at making the situation... not awful. Every second that passed, she noticed Catra wanting less and less to do with them. “I like your singing.” She felt her stomach drop. _“Wait a minute, you really said, “I like your singing”, Glimmer?! You’re joking me.”_ After an awkward pause, she continued.

”I-It’s better than Bow’s!” she added. Catra quirked an eyebrow up, definitely put-off by the weird compliment.

”What? No way! I am _amazing._ Beyoncé wishes she could have vocals like me,” he put both of his arms up in defense.

Glitter pointed a finger at him. “No way! It’s as bad as your dancing. Remember when Ms. Grayskull literally had triple your score on _Just Dance?_ Like Bow, she’s a whole middle-aged woman! How does that even happen?!”

Their bickering was cut short by Catra’s sudden snickering. “Wait, hold on, Mara _still_ plays _Just Dance?_ How the hell did you lose to her anyway? She can’t even keep up with the screen half the time!” she held her stomach while cracking up. "Man, you must have the body coordination of a toddler!"

”Huh...? Mara? Oh, Ms. Grayskull! Yeah, she plays with us all the time when we come over. You know her?” Bow tilted his head. _“Catra calls Ms. Grayskull by her first name? Yo, how close were they?!”_ Glimmer and Bow knew Mara for some time now, but even with the insistence of Mrs. Grayskull being referred to as Mara, they couldn't. It was weird calling your friend's mom by her first name.

”Oh, yeah...” Catra had stopped laughing. “I used to visit often,” she looked down. “Sounds like she’s still the same.”

”Why don’t you see her anymore? Seems like you really miss her.” Glimmer asked.

Catra continued to stare at her lap, thinking about how to respond. She told them a little too much about her ties. Luckily, Octavia dropped by with their orders, breaking the silence.

”Y’know, I was a little shocked seeing you sit with these people, Catra,” Octavia set a plate down. “I didn’t think you knew...” she looked over the group.

A little shocked to say the least. How does that even happen? Ex-best-friends hanging out with the same people? That was too much drama for her to unpack, but she wasn’t uninterested.

”Long story, Octavia,” Catra sighed.

The waitress finished putting the plates down and put a hand on her hip. “All right, I’ll leave you three alone. Enjoy your meals.”

As she walked away, Catra picked up a fork and stared at the apple pie she had ordered. “I used to sleepover at her house and stuff. I stopped coming over to visit when me and Adora...” she stabbed into the pie, scooping out a piece.

”I stopped talking to Mara when Adora didn’t want anything to do with me anymore. I figured that it’d be awkward for me to still drop by.”

Bow and Glimmer sat in silence, afraid to say anything that might come off wrong. What could they say to that anyway?

Taking a bite, Catra grimaced. She then stands up, grabbing her plate and the small to-go box. “Look, I think I’m just gonna go... Scorpia’s waiting for me.” It was a lie, but the conversation was already going south.

”Hold on, where’s your jacket? It’s freezing out there.” Bow furrowed his brows in worry. He didn’t notice before.

”It’s... in my car. I’m fine,” she turned away.

“Catra,” Glimmer called. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry like that,” she gave a tight-lipped smile. “I’ll make it up to you someday.”

Stone-faced, Catra just gives a second glance back and walked away, leaving the two alone. “Don’t worry about it.”

For the next few minutes, Bow and Glimmer just quietly continued eating their food, still processing what had just happened. It wasn't much, but Catra still gave them a little more insight into her history with Adora. Bow dipped a fry into his milkshake. _"So they were friends since they were little?"_ Judging from the fact that Catra had told them that they went to the same middle school, they stopped talking after eighth grade. _"And they were probably best friends, considering how Catra calls Mrs. Grayskull 'Mara'. So here's the glaring question... what the hell happened that summer?"_

Catra had to stop herself from tossing the take-out bag onto the passenger's side seat after getting into her car. The headache she felt before visiting the diner came back, and she reclined the seat down to relax for a moment. The air inside felt thick and humid, her face heating up. She tilted her head back to ease the heavy pounding in her head. Grabbing at the seat beside her, she searches for her phone. Once her hand found it, she raises the phone above her face.

Dialing Scorpia, she let out a big sigh. Catra set the call to a speaker and puts it on the armrest to her right. A few moments pass and Scorpia picks up. "Catra? What is it?" After not hearing a response, she spoke again. "Catra?"

Catra stared at the roof of her car. Her body slowly started calming down. She heard Scorpia repeat her words from her phone next to her. "Catra? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to tell you that I'm dropping some food off," Catra sighed, sinking into her seat. "I went to the diner tonight."

"Really? And you got something for me? Thanks!"

"See you in a bit," Catra didn't let Scorpia reply before hanging up. She laid there for a few more minutes before popping her seat back up and buckled her seatbelt. It was weird. When things like this happen, she usually wanted to be alone for the rest of the night, but this time was different. She wanted someone to talk to before calling it a day. Stepping on the gas pedal, she drives off to Scorpia's.

Catra braced herself against the car's frame as she got out, leaning on one hand. She grabbed the food before slamming the door shut behind her. Holding the bags, she walked up to Scorpia's porch. She gave the doorbell two quick rings and took a step back.

Scorpia opened the door with a smile, but quickly changed her face to a worried one when she saw Catra's state. "Thanks for coming. Are you okay?"

"Just let me in, I'm freezing my ass off out here," Catra grumbled. It made her feel better seeing Scorpia's face, though.

"Right, right," Scorpia backed up against the door, making room for Catra to step through. She watched her disappear down the hallway and into the kitchen before locking the front door.

Following Catra's trail, she pulls out a seat from the dining table. "So, do you want to talk?" Scorpia said smoothly.

Catra untied the bag and took out the boxes, giving Scorpia her food. "...Dunno," she mumbled. Opening her box, she takes a bite out of the unfinished apple pie. "Let me crash at your place tonight."

"Of course," Scorpia hummed. "By the way, we're meeting up tomorrow afternoon. We can go together."

"...Okay,"

While eating, Scorpia watched Catra mull over whatever just happened earlier. Sneaking glances every now and then, she only caught one sight; Catra lost in thought. This wasn't common, but Scorpia knew her well enough to know what to do— give her space. Catra was always there for her, so it was only fair to do the same. They ate in silence.

Once Catra noticed her plate was empty, she stood up to toss it in the trashbin. "I'm gonna go to bed now," she noted. 

_"She really seems out of it,"_ Scorpia wondered. Tidying up the table, she stored the rest of her food in the fridge. "Alright, let me just grab some extra pillows then."

Catra took familiar steps towards her friend's bedroom, flopping on the bed in exhaustion. She turns over when she hears Scorpia approach with pillows under her arms. "Sorry for the sudden visit," she said under her breath, Scorpia barely catching the words.

"No problem, Wildcat. You're always welcome here," she replied, tossing the spare pillows to Catra. "Scoot over, you're hogging the whole bed."

Complying, Catra shifted towards the left side of the bed, the side she preferred. As Scorpia laid down beside her, the bed gave a little creak. She tucked her hand under her head between the pillow and sighed. "Rough day, hm?" she asked. _"Maybe Catra's more willing to talk now."_

"You could say that," Catra finally spoke, hugging a pillow.

"So, did you think about what I said?" Scorpia turned her head slightly to look at Catra, who was facing the opposite direction. "Do you know what you want?"

Catra laid there in silence, contemplating an answer. When nothing came after searching, she opened her mouth. "...No," she declared. "No, I don't." A part of her wanted nothing to do with Adora, but the other half... wanted something she couldn't put her finger on. It was a feeling that she can't describe. "I hate her, but I can't walk away from her. Not when she keeps chasing after me."

"What do you mean?"

"She wanted to talk about what happened. When I was driving her home," she added. "I... don't get it. I don't know why she won't just leave it alone, she knows what happened."

"Maybe she wants to reconcile with you," Scorpia pointed out. "To fix things."

"And she waited four years to do that?" Catra scoffed in response. "Now that I'm conveniently available?"

"I mean, you are... _were_ running away from her."

"I wasn't. She fucking left me, for christ's sake. It'd be so much easier if we just pretended nothing happened and kept our distance."

"Do you want to avoid her?"

"Yeah," Catra tightened her grip on the pillow she was hugging. "I do. It feels weird talking to her again. Every word that comes out of her mouth just pisses me off."

"But do you miss it? Talking to her?" Scorpia moved her hand, now resting it on her stomach. "Are you angry at her? Or at what she did?"

Catra turned around to face Scorpia, face showing that she was stunned. Her heart rate picked up. "What?" She felt a knot in her stomach form at the question. _"Of course I don't miss her..."_ Thinking that felt wrong for some reason, even if Catra didn't want to feel that way. Though Scorpia was right. After years and years, what was Catra holding on to? What did she have a grudge against?

Staring at Catra's lack of response, Scorpia sighed. "That's just some food for thought," she smiled warmly. "You don't have to tell me."

Seeing the conversation was over, Scorpia turned the lamp sitting on the nightstand next to her off. "Goodnight, Wildcat." She didn't want to push Catra too much, but sometimes just enough is good for her. She needs to think for herself, but having the help of others is never a bad thing. It was a complicated situation, after all.

"Goodnight."

The next morning, Bow and Glimmer reconvened at the diner as promised. It was about eight A.M. Octavia was working the morning to day shift because D.T decided to switch with her for the weekend. The two sat down, waiting for their order to come. "Did you text Adora yet?" Glimmer asked.

"Oops," Bow scratched his head. "I was planning to this morning, but a certain _someone_ rushed me out of the house."

"You were late!" Glimmer groaned. "Great, now we have to wait for Adora to get ready and come here."

"Nah, I got this," Bow straightened up, smirking. He pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen. A few moments later, Glimmer gets a notification from her phone. It was the group chat. "We're good now."

"God, what did you do?" she narrowed her eyes, unlocking her phone to read the mysterious texts.

->Bow: ADORA HELP HELP HPL HELP COME TO THE DINER GLIMMER IS GOING CRAZY  
->Bow: U GOTTA HELP ME ASAP  
->Bow: ADORA PLZ  
->Bow: ADORA

"What the hell?!" Glimmer cursed. She pushed her phone in Bow's face, pointing to it. _"That's_ your plan?"

"Now, now," he waved her off. "I'm sure she'll show up soon. Don't worry!"

”Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now she thinks I started a brawl or something.”

”An apt sacrifice,” Bow added. “Now we don’t have to worry about being late to practice.”

Adora’s eyes shot open with the sudden flurry of vibrations coming from under her pillow. _“W-wha...?”_ She groggily reached under, pulling out the source of the makeshift alarm. Her phone’s brightness temporarily blinding her, her eyes adjust after a moment. _“Who’s texting me so early?”_

It took a while for Adora to register the situation, but she jumped out of bed as soon as she read over the texts enough times. Glancing over at the wall-clock in her room, she cursed. _“Damnit!”_

Getting ready as quick as she could, she ran out of her room, grabbing the nearest jacket from the door. Throwing it on, she thought it felt a little snug, but she quickly waved it off. She was more focused on getting to the diner.

Adora was putting her sneakers on when Mara checked the doorway to see what at the noise was about. Coffee in hand, she leaned on the hallway’s doorframe. “Adora? What’s going on?” she took a sip.

”Ugh, sorry, mom! I gotta go! It’s an emergency!” Adora stumbled, losing her balance for a second. “I’ll be back later today. I have practice in a few hours.” she tied her shoes as fast as she could.

”Alright, but...” Mara began, but Adora was already out the door and on the streets. “Never mind, I guess.”

Huffing from sprinting for an extending amount of time, Adora found herself gasping for air when she stopped at the diner’s entrance. She bent her knees, holding both with her hands. _“I hope I’m not too late...!”_ she stood back up, head in the air and hands on her hips. She took in as much air as she could with rapid breaths.

She dragged herself inside the diner, legs about to give out. Looking around frantically for her friends, she sighs in relief when she sees them sitting at their booth. Jogging over to them, she shouts. “I’m here! What’s wrong? Where’s the emergency?”

Bow felt a little guilty at Adora’s disheveled appearance and noticeable evidence of her sprinting here. “Oh... um... I was kidding?” he darted his eyes between Glimmer and Adora.

”What?!” Adora groaned, and dropped to the table, resting her body on the edge. “Are you kidding me? I ran here as fast as I could!”

”Yeah... we... um, noticed.” Glimmer scrunched her face up at Bow. “Nice going, Bow.”

”Fine, I’ll buy you something as an apology.”

Adora stood up after finally catching her breath. It was then that the other two noticed something very, very peculiar. Eyeing Adora’s out of place jacket, Bow gasped.

”Is... is that Catra’s jacket?” he furrowed his brows, accidentally speaking his thoughts. _”She told us she left it in her car! Why in God’s name does **Adora** of all people have it? And she’s wearing it?!” _Thoughts were racing through his head. He peeked at Glimmer, who’s mouth was also wide open.

”Adora, why the hell are you wearing _Catra’s_ jacket?” Glimmer spat out. It was definitely hers. The colors and logo on the front matched Horde High’s, not to mention they _saw_ Catra wearing it yesterday. “Did you guys...?”

”No!!” Adora’s jaw dropped at the suggestion. “No, no! The furthest we’ve ever gone was kissing, and that was years ago!”

 _ **”WHAT?!”**_ Bow and Glimmer, who were confused before, were now _seriously_ thinking that this was a fever dream. “I’m fucking sorry, but you said _**WHAT?!”**_ Bow raised his voice, their intermittent shouting match bringing unwanted attention from other customers. _"I have be in a coma or something. Maybe I'm like, going deaf."_

”We... didn’t do anything last night?” Adora said with a confused tone. _"What is he so worked up about?"_ She was weirded out by their reactions, they were looking at her like her face was melting.

”No, you dumb bitch! The thing after that! Are you serious? Like, you’re not pulling our legs, right?” Bow’s face was going through the five stages of grief.

”What? Kissing? Yeah, isn’t that normal for best friends? I see you two do it all the time.” Adora raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding the question. “Why are you guys so surprised?” 

Glimmer cringed. “Adora... me and Bow are dating. We have been for a while,” she frowned. _"Oh my god, she didn't know? And she thought kissing was normal between friends???"_

”...Oh.”

”Sit the fuck down, you are telling us _everything,”_ Bow was two steps away from passing out from shock. The last two minutes of whatever this was hit him like a train, except that it kept going.

The three sit in silence as Glimmer and Bow stare daggers into Adora. First of all, what the hell did she just say? Not only did she show up wearing Catra’s jacket, she told them that they _kissed?_

The situation got a whole lot more complicated. Bow cleared his throat, still keeping his eyes on Adora. “Okay, let’s start with the jacket. How the hell did you end up with it?”

”Catra drove me home last night after you guys left us alone,” Adora admitted. “It was raining, so she let me use it to cover myself on the way to my house.”

”What? She drove you home?” They didn’t expect that, considering all of the bits and pieces of the situation they gathered.

”I’m just as confused as you are. She’d literally be arguing with me, then turn nice all of a sudden. I tried apologizing to her, but she completely shut me out! She didn’t even want to talk to me.”

”Why is she so mad at you?”

”Ugh, it’s a long story. Anyway, she-“

“Hold on! You aren’t just gonna skip past that! You gotta tell us everything.” Bow said sternly, resting his hands on the table.

”Okay, fine, fine.” Adora conceded. She spent the next thirty or so minutes telling her side of the story about what happened between the two. “It was during summer vacation.” she bit her lip, sweat crawling down her neck.

”At first, me and Catra were planning to go to Horde High together, but my counselor recommended me to apply to Bright Moon Academy. Horde High doesn’t have a music program, so I opted to go for the latter.”

”So that’s what she meant by you leaving her,” Glimmer interrupted.

Adora tilted her head in response. “What? Catra told you that?”

“No, Scorpia did.”

”Okay, but I didn’t leave her! Let me get to that part. Anyway, I told Catra, and at first, she was upset about it. She eventually gave me the okay though. She thought it was best for me to go to Bright Moon.”

”But for me to get accepted, I had to do a summer program all throughout vacation. I didn’t have any time to spend with Catra because I had a huge workload. I felt really bad, and I wanted to make it up to her when school started," she said, rubbing the base of her palm. "I texted and called her, but she never replied. I... I think she blocked me."

"So you're saying Catra's the one that cut ties with you?" Bow asked, prompting Adora to look him in the eyes. "Catra ghosted you?"

"I mean, I wouldn't say it like that..." Adora fiddled with the ends of her ponytail. "But she did stop talking to me."

Octavia rounded the corner holding two plates. She grinned when she saw Adora. "I saw you burst in earlier. Nearly gave me a heart attack, you know?" she chuckled. "You looked like you were running from a serial killer or something."

Adora rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing. "Yeah, I know. Bow texted me that it was an emergency. Actually, he still owes me food. Can I get some eggs and bacon?"

"Yo, that's hella expensive!" Bow piped up. "Cut me some slack, Adora."

Shooting him a glare, she crossed her arms. "Hell no! Do you know how far I had to run nonstop?"

"Fine, fine..."

"Eggs and bacon, coming right up," Octavia turned away, but then stopped. "Say, are you talking to Catra again?"

"Why are you asking that?" Adora tapped the heel of her foot on the ground. 

"I mean, you _are_ wearing her jacket," Octavia pointed, putting the notepad in her apron's pocket. "And I saw her talking to these guys over here last night."

"What?" Adora questioned. _"They talked to Catra? Last night? Did she go to the diner after she dropped me off?"_

"What did you guys say to her?"

"That's my cue to leave..." Octavia shuffled out.

"Not much, we just wanted to get to know her." Glimmer shrugged. "She left after a few minutes, though."

"Oh... did she say anything about me?"

"I like how that the first thing you ask, but anyway, not really," Bow took a bite out of the waffles he had ordered. "She told us that you didn't want anything to do with her anymore."

 _"That again? She told me that in the car! It's not true though, I tried to contact her multiple times!"_ Adora tore a piece out of one of the waffles Bow had, eating it. "But you remember what I said, right?"

"I'd have to ask her for her side first," he took another bite. "She seemed pretty upset about it. Now, about the kissing Catra thing you said..."

"What do you mean? There's nothing to it. We just kissed."

"Were you two dating?" Bow chewed slowly, still taking in the situation.

"No way," Adora waved her hand dismissively. "We were just best friends."

"...Did you like her?"

"Of course! She's my friend- or was."

"No, you idiot," Glimmer frowned. "He meant if you liked her as something more than a friend."

"Yeah, I liked her as a best friend!"

Glimmer clasped her hand around her mouth, ready to scream in frustration. How was Adora _this_ slow?! "Noooooo!" she groaned, dragging her hand down to her chin. "Did you want to date her? Did you want her as a girlfriend?"

Adora felt her face flush. "What?" she clenched her jaw. She never really thought about it before, it was just a thing they did. _"Wait, did Catra think of her that way? No, no way!"_ The silence made her fidgety, she could hear her heart pound against her chest as she thought about the question. "...No?" her tone was definitely not of certainty. She didn't know how to answer, not because she didn't want to tell them, but because she didn't know herself what she thought about Catra.

"Then why the hell were you two kissing? You made it sound like you did it on the regular," Glimmer insisted. "I can assure you that best friends _don't_ kiss."

"I don't know! We did it once..." Adora stammered out. "And then we just didn't stop." Thinking about it was weird. It was just a thing they did together, she didn't know how to explain it. Why was it making her so nervous now?

Octavia came by the table once more to drop off Adora's breakfast, but didn't say anything when she felt the awkward tension in the group. She left, and the last thing she saw was Bow and Glimmer staring at a very lost Adora.

"How do I fix things with her? I want things to go back to the way they were before," Adora mumbled, playing with her food.

"What? You miss kissing her?" Bow couldn't help but gasp when the words slipped out. Adora felt her body tense up.

"Bow!" Glimmer gave him a jab on the arm. "What is wrong with you?"

Adora looked down, stroking the spoon she was holding. "I..." she paused. "Yeah, but I just want her back. I miss her." She never stopped thinking about Catra, even if it had been years since they've seen each other. She yearned for the day they make up and finally hang out like they always did. The fun they had together was something that was burned into her mind. The memories, feelings, everything about Catra was not easy to move on from.

"We used to be really close, but she just feels like a stranger now. The only thing i recognize about her is her face."

"Just talk to her!" Bow rubbed the spot Glimmer had hit, trying to soothe the aching. "Maybe she'll warm up to you."

"Ugh, I already told you that she doesn't want to."

Bow tilted his head for a moment, bringing his hand to his chin. "Wait, I have an idea. Well, _ideas."_

"No, no, no!" Glimmer challenged. "I've seen your ideas, and none of them are good!"

"They work, don't they?!" he made a face.

"What's your plan?" Adora leaned in towards Bow, clearly interested.

"It's a super-secret one," he put a finger to his lips. "You'll see when I put it into motion." Grinning, he pushes his empty plate to the side.

"No way!" Adora grabbed Bow by the collar, almost lifting him out of his seat. "C'mon, Bow! What is it?!"

"Damn," he tapped on her arms, as if tapping out. "It's better if you didn't know! Well, not yet."

"What are you planning to do? Is it bad?"

"Of course not! You'll see what it is soon."

Bow took a glance at the time on his phone, getting up. He shuffled out of the inside of the booth. "C'mon, let's go before we're late to practice."

"What?! B-But I didn't even shower or anything! I look like a mess!" Adora protested, slamming her hands on the table.

"Afraid Catra will see?"

Adora's face, which was red before, turned a deeper crimson. Glimmer had to hold her back from suplexing Bow. It was funny to poke fun at Adora, even though it was at her expense. Bow shrugged. "All right, all right," he turned away. "I'll stop... for now."

The car ride back to Glimmer's house was eventful, with Adora nonstop asking Bow what his 'amazing' plan was. Once they arrive, they notice a car parked in front of their driveway. Looking a little closer, there sat Catra and Scorpia. They seemed to be talking about something, with some laughing every now and then. Adora quickly took off the jacket and hid it in Glimmer's car before leaving.

"Crap, are we late?" Glimmer turned the engine off once she pulled up in front of the garage. _"How long have they been waiting?"_

The two got out of their car when they see Glimmer, Bow, and Adora return. They're greeted by the three when they walk up. "Hey, guys," Glimmer waved while she opened the door to the garage. As it rolls up, she strikes up some small talk. "How are you?"

Scorpia smoothed down her shirt. "We're doing great so far," she smiled in return. "What about you?"

Ducking under the garage door before it opened fully, Glimmer entered the garage. The others soon followed suit. "We just got back from the diner," she removed the covers from the instruments sitting idly inside. "Did Catra pick you up at your house?" Glimmer thought that they either went somewhere together earlier, or Catra just gave Scorpia a ride over.

"Hmm," Scorpia put a hand on her hip, changing her posture. "No, Catra stayed the night yesterday. We headed straight here when we got ready after waking up."

Adora felt her hands involuntarily clench, her stomach doing small flips. _"Spent the night? Like..."_ she waved away the thoughts. _"Probably just a sleepover... like the ones we had."_ She tried her best to ignore those intrusive thoughts, but she couldn't shake away the odd feeling those words gave her.

"Really?" Glimmer checked Catra out. She noticed that the girl was wearing different clothes than yesterday.

Catra sighed and put her guitar case down on the nearby couch, opening it. "I have spare clothes over at her house if you were wondering."

The indescribable feeling Adora had grown, dread creeping up her body. She was compelled to say something. _Anything._

”H-hey, Catra...” Adora gave a weak wave. _“Why are my palms so sweaty?”_

Catra didn’t even spare a glance as she walked past Adora.

”...Nice to see you too,” Adora mumbled. _“Maybe I should’ve said something more interesting, like, ‘how’s it going?’. Wait, no, that’s even more awkward!”_

Glimmer watched as Catra prepped her guitar, checking the strings and such. "Oh, okay." Following her example, they go to set up their instruments. Bow and Adora left theirs at Glimmer's garage, something they preferred to do rather than bring home. Once everybody was ready, they started their first rehearsal of the day. By the time they rolled around to the second, the synergy within the band already had improved drastically.

Getting lost in the sound, Adora glimpsed over at the singer. Her eyes slowly trailed from Catra's head to her body. Mouth parting slightly, she couldn't help but take in the other girl's features. Her long, wavy brown hair complimented her face... A little too much. Adora had to hold herself back from wanting to stroke it like she used to years ago.

Her eyes dropped to Catra's mouth, noticing small dimples forming as she sang. The voice she hadn't heard in so long was music to her ears— literally. Time slowed down as Adora watched Catra sway from side to side while she sang, eyes closed as she leaned into the microphone.

It felt like they were the only two in the room. When their eyes met for a split second, Adora's heart tightened, picking up the pulse. She gulped, turning back to the music stand in front of her.

The song was going well until Catra stopped mid-way, looking mildly irritated. "Stop, stop," she ceased strumming, putting her hands up.

"What's wrong?" Glimmer looked over to her.

"I can't fucking focus when blondie over there is staring at me!" she pointed towards Adora, whose face was a mix of shock, fear, and embarrassment. Having Adora's eyes trained on her was unwelcome; it made it hard to think about anything else.

"What?! I'm not!" she crossed her arms, bass hanging from the strap. _"I wasn't looking that much... right?"_ She didn't realize that she was practically gawking until Catra pointed it out.

"Take a damn picture, it'll last longer!"

"Damnit, Adora!" Glimmer groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just listen to her." Unfortunately, Glimmer _did_ catch Adora sneaking glances over to the other girl. Multiple times during the song. "But don't be so rude about it, Catra."

"Are you kidding me?" Catra snorted. _"I'm_ rude? She's _staring_ at me!"

"Can we just get on with practice?" Bow snapped his fingers to get their attention. "I have a life, you know."

Pushing the tension aside, they resume rehearsal as normal, Adora trying her best to not let her eyes wander over to Catra. After a few more tries, the group called it a day. Bow threw a cover over his drums. He looked at Catra, who was sitting down at the couch while everyone was packing up. As he put his drumsticks in their case, he inched a little closer to her. The tab she was playing gave him a wave of melancholy. Waiting by her side, she looked up when she finished.

"What?" she adjusted the guitar on her lap. "You want something?"

"No, I just thought that sounded really good," Bow set the case down on the shelf next to her. "I just realized I never asked you this, but... why'd you start playing guitar?"

Catra stiffened up, her grip on the guitar's neck tightening. "Just wanted something to do," she ran her fingers down the strings. She wasn't lying, but also wasn't telling the whole truth. _"Something to get my mind off Adora, but all it did was make me think of her more,"_ she scoffed to herself. Every time she picked the thing up, all she could find inspiration from in her mind was her time with Adora. Her feelings about her.

"Is that so? I started playing music because I thought playing the drums was cool," Bow sat down next to Catra. "And it gives me an excuse to hang out with Glimmer more. We kinda bond over it." he glanced over at Glimmer, who was talking to Adora.

"I guess it is cool," she followed his gaze, her eyes lingering a little bit too long on Adora. _"I'm indulging in the same thing that took her away. How ironic."_

Scorpia joined the conversation when she finished packing her keyboard away. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing much," Bow scooted over to make room for her. "Actually, are you guys free tomorrow?"

Catra immediately answered, but Scorpia butted in right after. "No, we are-"

"We were just gonna hang out, but you're welcome to join!" Scorpia gave a friendly smack on the back.

"Oh, no, no," Bow added. "I was planning on inviting you two somewhere, but if you were busy..."

"Not at all! We'd be happy to join!"

Catra rubbed her temples, sighing. _"Lord help me... What is wrong with you, Scorpia?"_

Bow brightened up, his smile turning into an open-mouthed one. "Really? Great, I'll text you guys the details later." he got up, leaving to go talk to Adora and Glimmer.

"Why?" Catra propped her arms on her thighs, sighing into her hands. "Why the hell are you making me spend time with your friends?"

"Why not? It'll be fun! Don't you like them?" Scorpia placed her hand on Catra's back.

"I don't even know them, and..."

"Then this is the perfect chance to get to know them!"

"And you know Adora's definitely gonna be there," Catra finished, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"Oh, oops," Scorpia covered her mouth with a hand. "Well..." she drawled. "You can just avoid her!"

"The whole time? That's gonna be awkward and just too much work. I'd rather not go," Catra leaned back on the couch, turning her head towards the other group. "...But I'll do it for you."

"Don't worry, I'll help you," Scorpia hugged Catra. "Thanks for trying," as she let go, she tucked Catra's hair behind her ear, clearing up her face.

The two shared a smile for a moment before Catra spoke up. "You owe me."

Bow skipped over to Adora and Glimmer, face beaming with excitement. "Step one completed!" he shot finger guns towards the two girls. "I told you I got it handled."

"I'm sorry, what?" Glimmer narrowed her eyes. "What'd you do now?"

"...I forgot to tell you, huh?" Bow dropped his hands. He dragged Glimmer to the opposite corner away from Adora and also away from Scorpia and Catra.

"Okay, what?" Glimmer crossed her arms, drumming her finger against her elbow.

"So, we're all gonna take a trip together somewhere," he pointed a finger up in the air.

"Okay, I'm listening."

"And then we're gonna play cupid!"

"What?! How? And no!"

It was a bad fucking idea, Glimmer could feel it in her bones. The two already had issues, and Bow was definitely gonna make it worse with whatever bullshit he was planning.

"I'm not done yet!!" Bow grabbed Glimmer by the shoulders. "I know it sounds bad, but trust me on this."

"Whenever I trust you, things always go wrong!"

"Listen, listen," Bow gave her a little shake to get her attention. "This is the trip that will get them back together!"

"And how in God's name will that happen?" Not gonna lie, Glimmer was a little intrigued. Well, _really_ intrigued.

"We can't let Adora OR Catra know about this." he peered over Glimmer's shoulder. Adora was once more staring at Catra... not subtly.

"Just tell me your damn plan before I go crazy!"

"Alright..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're liking the series, please leave a comment/kudo! I also accept criticism/feedback! I appreciate you all for reading this trashfic! Thank you so so so much for the kudos and comments so far!! I love hearing what you guys think.
> 
> Q/A: how were you introduced to She-Ra?  
> for me, a video was recommended to me about a year ago on youtube about the tension catra and adora had during the princess prom ;) after that, i've had my eye on it but never got around to watching it until recently. i prefer to start shows after the finale's aired.
> 
> Q/A 2: are you fine with long chapters like these so far? or do you prefer them to be broken up a little? i noticed that im breaking ~7,000+ words per, and wondered if it was too tiring to scroll and scroll through the chapters. i can split them up if enough of you guys tell me :)
> 
> Clarifications: Catra tends to visit the diner late and during the weekends, while Adora eats there during the daytime or for breakfast during the weekdays. She has practice on the weekends. The people Catra caught Adora hanging out with four years ago were NOT Bow and Glimmer. I will explain who they are in a later chapter.


	4. Beach Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora checking Catra out x1000  
> mk and maybe they mash lips idk😏
> 
> Party games too! The spicy ones... :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Bow could’ve chosen any other kind of place to hang out but I need to make them horny somehow!!
> 
> My favorite chapter is coming up, but you guys might think differently ;)
> 
> I know y’all want angst, and trust me that shit is about to hit u like a train. I try to write about a thousand words per day.

Horde Scum

"C'mon, Wildcat!" Scorpia knocked on the door, cradling Melog on one arm. She had been trying to get Catra out of her room for a few minutes now, but no luck so far. It wasn’t really a surprise though. Getting Catra out of bed in the morning quickly would count as a miracle.

Scorpia took an Uber over to Catra’s house earlier in the morning to get ready together for the upcoming trip. Glimmer is supposed to come by with everyone else to pick them up for the road trip to the place they planned out. Sighing, she rapped her fingers against the door once more.

”Catra, we’re gonna be late if you don’t get up now,” she shifted her weight to the other leg. Finally hearing Catra shuffle out of bed from the other side, she waited for the door to be opened.

”What?” Catra rubbed her eyes. She was hunched over, like she slept wrong the night before. “What do you want?”

She eyed Scorpia holding Melog. The cold air in the hallway made her shiver, and extremely uncomfortable at the moment. All she wanted to do right now was go back to bed, back to the comfort of her warm blanket. _”What’s she doing here?”_

”Huh? Did you already forget?” Scorpia raised a brow. _“Maybe she had a rough night.”_ It was pretty common though for Catra to flake or forget about plans. A quick reminder usually set her straight.

Receiving a blank stare from her friend, she sighed. “The beach...?” she said, hoping to jog her memory. Honestly, Scorpia was excited about the trip. She’d been thinking about going to the beach for a while now, and since it was nearing summer vacation, this was basically the perfect time for a beach day.

Last night, she had trouble sleeping due to all the anticipation about being able to hang out with all of her friends at the beach. “C’mon,” Scorpia walked in, still holding Melog. “They’re gonna be here soon. We gotta get ready.”

 _“Riiight, the beach.”_ Searching through her mind for clues, Catra groans when she finds the answer she was looking for. Yesterday, after practice, Bow proposed that they all went to the beach together. All five of them. It was at a city a few hours away, which neither Catra nor Scorpia frequented as much as Bow and Glimmer. 

Melog meowed and jumped out of her arms, bouncing over to Catra. Rubbing against her leg, he purred. ”Why can’t we go later? It’s too damn early to be worrying about shit like this,” Catra turned around, lifting up her blanket to find her phone. After checking the time, she threw it back on her bed.

Setting her drawstring bag down, Scorpia made her way towards Catra’s closet. It was roomy, as Catra mostly didn’t worry about dressing up and such. Digging out a few outfits, Scorpia placed them on the floor. “It takes two hours to get to the place. Considering we have to drive back, we’re gonna have to get ready early.”

She held up a swimsuit. “I think this would be fine.” Turning it around for Catra to see, she smiled. “After we pick out what to wear, we need to pack some snacks for the drive there.”

Catra scoffed in response and tossed it out of view. “You really picked the swimsuit I wore in _middle school?”_ She got up and grabbed another one off the shelf of her closet. 

Pulling off her shirt from the collar, Catra threw it on her bed. “I got this a while back, but I never really got around to using it.” She often visited the pool for water-gun fights and roughhousing, which egged on her competitive side.

”Hm,” Scorpia reached over to the bag she had just put on the floor and went to take out multiple swimsuits. “Same here! I remember shopping for hours trying to pick out a good swimsuit, but couldn’t decide on one. I bought a few and thought you could help me pick which looked best on me,” she sorted them out, separating them.

Catra tied her bikini top on the front with a knot, smoothing out the edges around her breasts. “Oh, sure,” she adjusted her top. “I always like seeing you try on different things and all that. You buy the weirdest shit sometimes.” One time, Scorpia wanted advice on what to wear on a date, and Catra almost died of laughter when she showed up to her house wearing a skirt and crocs.

After changing out of her shorts and into the bikini’s bottom, Catra spun around slowly. “What do you think?” she grinned, showing off to Scorpia. “I tried it on when I first got it, and it was way too loose.”

Scorpia got up and studied Catra, one hand on her chin. “Um...” she scratched her head. “Isn’t that a little...” she eyed Catra’s body. Her bikini bottom was rising high over her hips, and noticeably not covering much.

”What?” Catra crossed her arms. “Does it not look good?” And she wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t. When it had arrived after she ordered it online, she looked nowhere near as close as the model on the website. Maybe it was because she was thinner, but she still had a nice figure.

”No, no,” Scorpia chuckled. “It does look good. Really good on you, swear. It’s just a little...”

”Ugh, just say it,” Catra quirked a corner of her mouth in impatience. “I won’t be mad... probably.”

”Sexy?” Scorpia blurted out. I mean, there wasn’t really any other word that could describe it. “Looks like you’re trying to impress someone, I guess.”

Giving her a little shove, Catra groaned. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell would I impress?” she cringed. “Okay, wait, never mind. I don't wanna hear it.”

Catra searched through her drawers for some clean clothes to wear over her bikini. Settling on a pair of short-shorts and an oversized t-shirt, she quickly threw them on. “Are you gonna show me what you brought over now?”

“It looks like you’re not wearing any pants,” Scorpia laughed, pointing at Catra’s legs. “But yeah, I’ll go try them on right now.”

Catra groaned in response and tugged at the hem of the shirt, bundling some of it in one side to tie it. She used one of her hair ties on her arm to keep it in place. The shirt was now significantly shorter and hugged her body more. “Happy now?”

As Catra reorganized her closet, Scorpia slipped into a one-piece. It wasn’t anything special, but wasn’t ugly. “So?” she stood in front of Catra, not knowing how to pose. “What do you think about it?” she asked hopefully.

”Uh... maybe?” Catra furrowed her brows. “I’d say that one... wear it if you have nothing else. Like a last resort.” she gave it one last look before deciding on a consensus. “Maybe a two-piece would be better.”

”I think I have some over here...” Scorpia trailed off, patting the floor for what she was looking for. Once her hand reached her goal, she held it up. “How’s this one?”

”Actually,” Catra perked up. “I think that’d look pretty good on you.”

”Are you sure? It’s not really my style...”

”Of course, just try it on and see for yourself. I’m gonna go grab some food while you change.” Catra got up, making her way towards the hallway door. “You want anything?”

”I guess I could go for some breakfast. Nothing too heavy, but I’ll take anything.”

”Got it,” Catra slipped behind the door, closing it on the way out. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a few things from the fridge after popping a few slices of bread in her toaster oven. Glancing over at the clock, she sighed. _“I can’t believe I’m up this early on the weekend.”_

She grabbed a few chips and snacks from the cupboards while she waited for the toasts to be done. She shoved them into her spare backpack, hurriedly getting ready. Catra decided she packed enough once the toaster made a sound indicating that it was done. Making two sandwiches, she put them on plates and set them on the counter. By the time she finished, Scorpia walked out in her regular clothes. She dropped their bags for the trip near the door. “Thanks, by the way,” she said, grabbing a plate. “Oh, also, I put some water-guns in the bag. Bow loves these types of things.”

”Cool, we can play with them later.”

“I heard the place we’re going too has hella good food,” Scorpia took a bite. “Glimmer told me she goes there all the time when she visits her aunt.”

”Sounds good,” Catra looked out the window, noticing a car pull up on her driveway. “They’re already here.”

”Really?” Scorpia checked the wall clock in the kitchen. “They’re pretty early then, I guess.”

”It’s fine, I just finished my food. You can eat in the car.”

The two hear a honk from outside, and Scorpia’s phone also lit up. “Let’s go,” Catra unlocked the side door. “You got the bags, right?”

Bending over to pick them up, she waved Catra off. “Yeah, yeah. I’m right behind you.”

They walk out together, and are greeted by Bow sticking his head out the car and Glimmer leaning on the driver’s side door. “You guys ready?” she looked up. Scorpia was standing slightly behind Catra.

”Hey, guys!” Bow leaned out of the window, waving. “There’s room in the back,” he said, pointing towards the back of the car.

”Oh, okay,” Scorpia carried the bags to the trunk. “I’ll handle the bags then.”

Opening the door without a second thought, Catra takes a step inside before freezing up at the sight of Adora. _“Oh, come on...!”_ she clicked her tongue. Adora was sitting on the left side, so Catra was now basically forced to sit in the middle next to her, seeing as she entered the car first.

“Oh...” Adora smiled nervously, rubbing her forearm.

As Catra slid into the backseat, she noticed a familiar jacket laying in the trunk of the van. “Is... is that my jacket?” she turned towards Adora. “Why the hell did you just leave it here? Did you even wash it or anything?”

“Uh...” Adora drawled. _“Damn, I forgot to bring it back home yesterday!”_ she mentally facepalmed. “I kinda forgot...”

She totally let having Catra’s jacket chill in Glimmer’s car after coming back from the diner yesterday slip. The day left her having so much to think about that it was almost the last thing on her mind. “I can bring it back to you next week at practice if you want.”

”No, I’ll just bring it home tonight.”

”It’s okay, I-“

”I’d rather not be missing my favorite jacket for a whole week,” Catra replied curtly, putting an end to the topic. “Don’t worry about it.”

”Okay...” Adora backed down.

As Catra settled down as best as she could, she felt the car shift from Scorpia closing the trunk. Moving once more, she slid in right after. Sliding in snugly next to Catra, she grinned. “I’m all good now,” she leaned over to Bow in the passenger seat. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Glimmer started the engine once more and pulled out of the driveway. She peered over at the backseat with the rear-view mirror as she drove down the street. She shifted her eyes over to Bow. “So, how’s your genius plan gonna work?” she said in a low voice, keeping it quiet so only Bow could hear her. She’s relieved when the others in the backseat don’t react.

”Well, I figured Catra would rather die than willingly go out somewhere with Adora alone, so this is the best we can really do,” he popped a piece of candy in his mouth. “Under the guise that this is a group outing, we can get them a moment or two alone.”

”That sounds awful and awkward,” Glimmer chastised. “Forcing them to be together alone? Are you kidding me?”

“Hey!” he called out. “Do you have any other bright ideas then?”

Pausing for a moment, Glimmer shrugged. “Guess not. Have you told Scorpia yet?”

”...Not really. I wanted to, but I never got a chance to. She didn’t pick up last night or this morning.”

”Okay, that’s fine. We can tell her when we get them alone.”

One hour into the drive, Scorpia gasped and leaned into Catra’s ear, whispering. “I’m so, so sorry!” she panicked. “I totally forgot I made you sit next to... you know who.” She glanced over to Adora, who was staring out the window, hands clenching her shirt. She seemed immensely stiff. 

“It’s fine,” Catra rolled her eyes, lowering the volume of her music so she could talk to Scorpia. “We can trade on the ride back. It’ll be too much if we stopped in the middle of the road and switched now.”

”Sorry again,” Scorpia smiled weakly. “I know I promised...”

”It’s fine, it’s not that big of a deal. I can handle it.”

The smooth rumbling of the car on the freeway relaxed Catra, causing her to doze off every now and then. She still hadn’t woken up completely since the morning, and sitting in a car doing nothing didn’t help much. She found herself closing her eyes for extended periods of time. “Scorpia,” Catra mumbled tiredly.

”Yeah?”

“Say, how’d you meet these guys?” Catra started a conversation, anything to keep her awake for a little longer.

”At the diner, actually. I was picking up some food for you, and met them while I was waiting,” Scorpia glanced up at the roof of the car, thinking.

”So, basically, it was me who introduced you to them? You’re welcome,” Catra softly giggled.

Bow turned around, joining in. “Dude, she was so fucking weird when we first met!”

Catra quirked an eyebrow in interest. “Really? How so?”

“She was literally staring at us! No words, no nothing. We were strangers, so you can imagine how awkward it was.”

”Oh, you’re kidding me. Scorpia, what made you think that was ever a good idea in the first place.”

Pouting, Scorpia turned away. “It worked! They talked to me and all. I don’t see a problem in that.”

”I definitely do. You’re lucky they’re weird and talked to you in the first place. What would you do if a complete stranger was just staring at you when you’re just trying to eat your food?”

”We’re not weird!” Glimmer replied from the front, still keeping her eyes on the road. “We just thought she was interesting.”

”Wow, I feel so appreciated,” Scorpia chuckled. “We hit it off pretty quickly after that though.”

”Yeah,” Bow added. “Scorpia’s cool, and so’s her company. You’re great, Catra.”

”Gee, thanks,” Catra shrugged it off, unsure of how to take the compliment.

The occasional bump on the road causing them to touch shoulders, it surprised Adora every time. She always took glanced over at Catra whenever it happened, but the other girl didn’t seem to react at all. _“Maybe I’m the one making it weird,”_ Adora sighed, avoiding looking at Catra as best as she could. Yesterday, Bow invited her to an impromptu beach trip. She accepted, but she didn’t know that _Catra_ would also be coming.

Adora shook her head. _“Wait, I’m fine with Catra being here! What am I thinking?”_ she fumbled over her thoughts. _“Why am I acting so weird about Catra coming with us? She’s part of the band too. This is a group outing.”_

The five banter every now and then for the next hour, slowly turning quiet as they one by one take a nap. Bow was first, Catra following second. Adora jumped when she felt a sudden weight lean onto her shoulder. She creaked her head towards it, and felt her stomach drop when she saw Catra resting her head on her shoulder. _“Oh my god!”_ Adora screamed internally. She continued to stare at Catra in shock for a few more moments before feeling a death stare from someone behind Catra.

Adora looked up, meeting eyes with a strangely serious Scorpia. She frowned, whispering to not wake Catra up. “Don’t try anything,” Scorpia grumbled. She didn’t want to disturb Catra, but then again was worried about the possible situations. Waking up a soon to be grumpy Catra, maybe even embarrassing her in the process by pointing out what she was just doing in her sleep was something Scorpia was not so keen on doing.

Adora gulped, nervously nodding her head. She sat up straight, unmoving as Catra continued to nap on her shoulder. Glimmer glanced at the backseat from her rear-view mirror once more, smirking as she noticed the new development. She poked Bow, waking him up.

”W-wha...?” he stammered out, jolting awake from the sudden touch.

”Check it out,” Glimmer pointed at the mirror with her head for a second. Bow barely contained his laughter as he saw a stiff-as-a-board Adora sitting in pure fear as Catra slept on her. Scorpia was right next to her giving occasional death glares.

”You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bow whispered. “Look at Adora! She looks like she’s about to fucking pee her pants.” 

“Right?” Glimmer laughed, gripping the steering wheel slightly harder to keep calm.

The next thirty minutes pass and Bow perks up. “Hey, wake up. We’re almost here!” he called out, looking around at the familiar streets. Catra slowly opened her eyes, sitting back up. She noticed she’d been using Adora as a pillow, but making a big deal out of it now would’ve been a bad idea. She pretended as if nothing had happened.

”Great, I’m starving,” she yawned, purposefully leaning away from Adora. She didn’t let anything show though about her knowing what she just did.

”Maybe if you ate some of the food we brought instead of napping...” Scorpia raised her brows jokingly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Catra shrugged her off. “I can still just eat at the beach.”

Glimmer drives through the boulevard and pulls into the parking lot near the shore. She turned the ignition off and set her brakes. “Okay, let’s get the important things like towels and shit out first and then find a spot. We can get everything else after,” she turned around.

Unbuckling their seatbelts, they all got out of the car and crowded around the trunk, where most of their things were. Bow opened it up and handed everyone their things. One by one, they head off to the sand, Catra leading. She walked around for a minute before finding a spot she’d liked. Dropping her stuff, she sighed.

“Is this good enough?” she spread out her towel, quickly laying down on it.

”Yeah, but we still need to get our other stuff out from the car,” Bow pointed behind them with his thumb. “How about Glimmer and Scorpia come with me?”

He smiled to himself at his plan to get Catra and Adora alone. It falls flat when Scorpia declines. “I don’t think so,” she waved him off.

Pressing her a little more, but not seeming too desperate or pushy, he tried again. He hoped Scorpia would get the hint. “Are you sure? It might go faster if you come with us.”

Scorpia shook her head. “I’m good.” She wasn’t planning on leaving Catra alone with Adora, and was gonna try her best to be there for her friend. “You guys can go on ahead, we didn’t bring much anyway.”

Sighing, Bow headed off back to the car with Glimmer. “I tried my best.” They return in rounds, bringing their things back to the spot only to find the three sitting awkwardly together on the sand.

Scorpia’s phone rang, causing everyone to look over to the sound. She picked it up from the ground, glancing at the caller ID. “Oh, my mom is calling me,” Scorpia turned away. “Give me a second.” A few moments passed before Scorpia stood up, muting the call. “Wait, I’ll be back. My mom wants to talk to me about something important, sorry.”

Adora fidgeted from the heat and opted to take her t-shirt off, revealing her sports bra. She sat there, still uncomfortable. Looking at the bags left by Bow and Glimmer, she rummaged through them to look for some sunscreen. She rubbed the lotion on her arms and legs, but paused when she realized something. _“God damnit,”_ she cursed under her breath. Taking a deep breath, she looked over to Catra.

”Catra?” she called. Adora really didn’t want to do this, but no one else was around to do it instead.

Catra sighed and turned her head towards Adora, still laying down and resting her head on her palms. “What do you want?”

”Can you put sunscreen on my back? I can’t reach.”

”You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Catra scoffed and turned away.

”I’m literally going to get burned if you don’t help me.”

”Fine, fine. Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Catra groaned, getting up. “Turn around.”

”Thanks,” Adora faced her back towards Catra, only to be found facing the towel in just a few second. “Ouch!” she shouted. Catra had pushed her down, causing her to lay on her stomach. “What’s that for?” Adora turned her head around, facing an irritated Catra.

In response, she shrugged. “Are you an idiot? It’s easier if you lay down. Let’s just get this over with, okay?” Catra straddled Adora’s back, squeezing the bottle of sunscreen into her palm.

 _”Oh my god, is this really happening?!”_ Adora stiffened up, not knowing what to do in her current position. _“Okay, okay,”_ she reassured herself. _“Catra’s just putting sunscreen on me, it’s fine! Wait, but why is she doing it like **this?!”** _Adora panicked. The weight pushing down on her lower back wasn’t what made her uncomfortable, but it was the thought of Catra _on her._

”Did you already get burned or what?” Adora heard Catra ask from behind. “Your neck’s all red.”

”What?!” Adora squirmed from under Catra’s thighs. “No, no.”

”Stop fucking moving,” Catra slid her hands over Adora’s shoulders. She worked her hands, rubbing her palms over them. “I’m almost done.” 

“Sorry.”

Adora involuntarily shuddered when Catra made her way down her back, hands trailing around her waist. _“I hope she didn’t notice that.”_

Catra continued circling her hands on Adora’s back, taking interest in her body language as she went on. Adora made small movements every time she came back to a certain spot. Indulging in some teasing, she slowly caressed Adora’s waist. Her suspicions were right when Adora once more flinched.

Adora turned around when she heard a soft giggle from Catra. “What the hell! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

”I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Catra slyly mumbled, doing the thing again. Adora’s body reacted in the way she expected, causing her to laugh.

”Catra!” Adora sighed. “Are you done yet?”

”Oh?” Catra rolled her eyes, pushing a stray hair out from her face. “It looked like you were enjoying it though.”

”Shut up!” Adora twisted her body in an attempt to get Catra off, face red from embarrassment.

Getting up, Catra readjusted her shirt. “Okay, okay,” she retied the knot. “Yeah, I’m done now. You’re welcome.”

Catra claimed her previous spot on top of her towel, laying down. Scorpia came back a few minutes later worried. “Sorry, that took a bit longer than I expected,” she rubbed her neck. She took a seat in between Catra and Adora.

”It’s fine, nothing happened,” Catra grinned.

Bow and Glimmer’s last trip to the car brightened Bow’s mood. As he opened the trunk for the final time, he gasped in excitement when he laid eyes on the waterguns Catra and Scorpia had brought with them. “No way!” he put his hands to his mouth. “Glimmer, we _have_ to fill these up now! I wanna use them!”

”Are you kidding me? Can it wait? We’re almost done here.” Glimmer hoisted up a bag.

”Okay, but these are the last two! Here, how about this? I’ll fill the guns and then you can bring that bag back.”

”Fine, but don’t take too long.”

Bow was already running to the nearest water dispenser when those words left her mouth. She sighed and walked back to the group after closing the trunk. Dropping the bag with a loud thud, she put a hand on her hip. “Alright, we’re all done here.”

”Where’s Bow?” Adora leaned to check if he was behind Glimmer.

They were all surprised when a sudden jet of water splashes all over them, getting most of them wet. “Look at what I found!” he shouted, holding two waterguns with his hands and one under his arm. “Thanks, Scorpia.”

Catra groaned angrily. “Are you kidding me? You got me wet, you dick!” she got up, pointing to her shirt.

”Revenge is at the tip of your fingers,” Bow tossed a watergun at her and the other to Glimmer. “I bet you won’t even hit me. I’m a god at paintball.”

”Really now?” Catra smirked, slipping out of her outer clothes at light speed. She tossed them at Scorpia. “Hold this, I’m gonna teach this guy a lesson.” At the blink of an eye, she’d already picked up the gun and started chasing Bow.

”Good luck,” Scorpia called out, but Catra couldn’t hear her. She was already bombarding Bow and Glimmer with attacks of her own and nimbly dodging theirs without breaking a sweat. Adora watched, staring at Catra’s body.

”So, how’s it going?” Scorpia looked at Adora. They were now alone for how ever long the other three were going to take in their little fight. She cleared her throat when an answer wasn’t given in some time. “Um, Adora?”

“Oh, you’re talking to me?” Adora pointed at herself, eyes wide. “Um...” She wasn’t sure how to respond, seeing as Scorpia gave her death glares throughout half of the car ride there.

”Who else would I be talking to?”

”I’m doing fine!” Adora nervously chuckled. “What about you?”

”Great. I’m already enjoying myself,” Scorpia glanced over Adora. “So... how’d you meet Catra?” It wasn’t a great question, but honestly Catra was the only thing that the two had in common.

”Um, we had the same classes all throughout our lives up until middle school,” Adora recalled. “It was pretty weird, and we noticed it during second grade. I guess we became best friends after that. What about you?”

”Oh? Same here. We had the same classes at Horde High. All six periods, but that was only for two years. We still talked to each other though. I don’t think she liked me at first, but now we’re all buddy-buddy, you know? It took a little time, but now we’re pretty close.”

”Oh,” Adora replied. “Are you her only friend?” She didn’t know whether or not Catra still talked with Lonnie, Rogelio, or Kyle, but then again... she didn’t know anything about Catra anymore.

”What? God, no. We have a pretty big friend group.”

”Really? Me too. Bow and Glimmer actually know a lot of my friends, so we hang out all together.”

Bow sprinted towards the two in fear, Glimmer close behind. He quickly turned around to see if Catra was following. She was, and he threw up his hands in surrender, dropping the watergun. “Okay, okay!” he shouted. “No more!!” Both he and Glimmer were completely drenched, while Catra was only mildly wet. She smirked in victory and put her gun down from aiming.

”Paintball god, my ass,” she jokingly mocked, untying her hair from the bun. It went from slightly neat to messy from all the action. As she undid it, her long, wavy hair flowed down to her shoulders. Catra swept her hair back, keeping it out of her face. Adora felt herself heat up from watching that little thing.

”Scorpia, is she a super soldier or something? Tell me why she just beat me and Glimmer in a 2v1!” Bow threw his hands out, exasperated. “We couldn’t even hit her! Do you know how she even got wet in the first place? She fucking fell in the water trying to fill up her damn gun!”

”Look, I don’t know. Catra’s unnervingly good at competition based things. It’s scary.”

Bow and Glimmer were out of breath and disheveled, but Catra looked like she didn’t even break a sweat. Walking towards her bags, she pulled out a towel to dry herself off. “Is the food here good? I caught a few good looking carts around here earlier.”

Glimmer slumped down next to Adora, catching her breath. “Yeah, of course. This place has a bunch of local stuff you can’t find anywhere else. You can go and look around with Bow, I’m too damn tired.”

”I could go for some food,” Bow got up, suddenly fine. “I gotta show you the ice cream from here.”

”Sure, sure,” Catra beckoned him with a hand. “Let’s go, I’m hungry as hell.”

”You guys want anything?”

”Ice cream? Get me matcha,” Glimmer looked up.

”I’ll take some vanilla,” Scorpia smiled.

”Vanilla?” Catra snorted. “Basic ass. Nah, I’ll get you some cookies n’ cream.”

”That sounds good too.”

”What about you, Adora?” Bow turned to her. “You want anything?”

“I’m thinking about strawberry.”

”Sounds good, we’ll be back in a few.”

Catra and Bow set off the grab the snacks, leaving Adora, Scorpia, and Glimmer to themselves. They find making conversation was not too hard, and have a good time waiting.

Glimmer set up a small campfire, but not lighting it up. “What’s that for?” Scorpia pointed to it.

”For later. We always make a little bonfire thing whenever we come here. It’s great when it gets all dark and cold.”

”I see.”

When Bow and Catra return, they all dig into the ice cream, talking about whatever. Funny stories, anecdotes, anything to pass time. Once done with the ice cream, some moved on to the snacks they brought with them on the trip. Two hours or so pass when Catra breaks off from the conversation. It was getting dark, and Glimmer lit up a fire. They sat in a circle.

“I think I’m gonna go take a breather now,” Catra stood up, patting her backside to get the sand off. “I’ll see you guys in a bit, yeah?”

”Oh,” Bow called, reaching out to her. “But we haven’t even done the best thing yet! Come on, Catra. Stay for a few more?”

”I don’t know...”

”Catraaa,” he drawled, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. “Come on!”

Sighing, she reluctantly took a seat back down next to Scorpia. “Alright, but I’m really gonna go after.”

”Hell yeah,” he pumped his fist in the air... a little too enthusiastically. “Let’s start with a classic!” Bow pulled out a soda bottle out from behind his back. “You up for some Spin the Bottle?”

”Yeah, no thanks,” Catra waved dismissively. “I don’t think I’m gonna be smacking lips with anyone tonight.”

”Ugh, fine. How about an ice breaker game first?” he put the bottle behind his back, and instead took off one of his flip flops. “It’s called... Paranoia.”

”Excuse me?”

”I know, but it’s sooo fun!” Bow chuckled. “First, you ask the person next to you a question. After that, you toss this,” he waggled the flip flop in his hand. “If it lands face up, you gotta answer it out loud. If it lands face down, we just move on.”

”That sounds pretty good,” Scorpia glances over at Catra. “Don’t embarrass me now.”

”Everyone got the rules down? Great, I’ll go first.” he leans over to Adora. The group watch in silence as her face flashes with shock for a second. Gathering her composure, she clears her throat.

”What is wrong with you, Bow?!” she playfully pushes him away. She prayed that the flip flop would land face down.

Unfortunately, it didn’t. Bow slyly looks her way, smirking. “So... who is it?”

Hoping that nobody would ever know the question, she sighed heavily. “Catra.”

”Woah, woah, woah!” Catra sat up. “What’d you ask her?” The question really interested Catra now, seeing as she was the damn answer to it. Especially Adora’s answer.

Bow shrugged and looked away. “Sorry, can’t say. It’s part of the game, hence the name... you know? Paranoia?”

”Ugh.”

Adora fiddles with her ponytail for a moment before leaning over to Scorpia. “ _Out of everyone here, who would you date?”_ The other girl lets put a hearty laugh before tossing the flip flop in the air. It lands face down. “That was a pretty boring question though.” Scorpia, not catching the undertones of the question, goes to whisper in Catra’s ear, tossing the flip flop afterwards. It lands face up.

”Okay, that’s pretty obvious. It’s you!” Catra slaps Scorpia on the back, snickering. “That’s such a dumb question.”

”What was it?” Adora stared at Catra, seemingly jealous.

“Damnit, Adora!” Bow nudged her. “I just said the rules of the game!”

”Oh, right...” she looked away bashfully. _“God, I’m such an idiot!”_

”Why the hell do you wanna know anyway?” Catra cut in. “It’s none of your business.”

Adora was almost fuming on the spot. _“So you wanna be in my business, but I can’t?”_ Sometimes Catra was just so infuriating.

“Just get on with it, Catra,” Glimmer tapped her on the shoulder.

”Okay, fine, princess. Needy, aren’t we?” Catra learned over, cupping her hand beside her mouth. _“If you were stuck in a room with someone other than Bow, and the only way to get out is to fuck them, who would you pick?”_ Catra couldn’t stop laughing. She flipped the sandal, it landing face up.

”A little risqué, hm?” Glimmer winks at Catra. “If you wanna know so bad, I guess...” she looked over the group, pondering for a few seconds. “You, actually.”

”Sorry, but I’m not interested,” Catra giggled, poking Glimmer.

”Fuck you!” Glimmer gives a light shove to Catra.

”Is that an insult or a to-do list?” Catra winked. “Wait, I already know the answer, considering-“

Glimmer lunged at Catra, laughing. “Shut up! You’re giving it away! Bow, she’s breaking the rules!” she was now on top of Catra, play fighting.

Adora clenched her jaw, holding herself back from tearing them apart. “Can we hurry this up?”

Catra shot a small glare at her. “I can’t have fun now? Whatever.”

”That’s not what I...!”

Glimmer got the hint and quickly dissolved the rising tension. “Okay, okay!” she waved her hands in the air, getting their attention. “Bow, come here.” Whispering something, he found himself laughing. “Definitely Catra.”

”Me again? I’m just Miss Popular today, huh?”

”Oh, you wouldn’t know...” Bow mumbled, glancing over to Adora. The game lasted a few more rounds before Bow clapped his hands together. “Now that’s done and over with, I have a _real_ game we can play. How’s Truth or Dare?”

”Now you’re talking,” Catra smirked, snapping a finger. “Your funeral.”

”Say what now?” Glimmer raised an eyebrow.

”Dude, Catra’s never lost a party game since... ever,” Scorpia spoke up. “Truth or Dare’s a kid’s game to her.”

”Okay, okay, then how about amp it up a little?” Bow let out a mischievous grin. _“You’re so welcome for this, Adora.”_

”What’s up?” Catra leaned back, already prepping her victory dance. “This better be good.”

”If you skip out on a truth or dare, you gotta take your clothes off.”

”First of all, we’re all in swimsuits. Just admit you wanna see ass at this point,” Catra scoffed.

“And if you’re naked, each time you skip out, you have to do two dares. Your clothes are basically your lifeline. Winner has the most clothes on by the end of the game.”

”Actually, that’s a little better,” Catra glanced over at the group. “Get ready to lose.”

“I’ll start!” Glimmer raised a hand. “Catra,” she began.

”Of course it’s me,” Catra rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay. Dare. Hit me with your best shot.”

”Hm...” Glimmer put a finger on her chin. “I didn’t expect you to say dare so quickly. How about... I dare you to do a flip over the campfire!” she grinned. _“There’s no way she’ll do...”_ Her thoughts were cut short when Catra took several steps back before barreling through the group. She easily jumps over the fire, landing perfectly on her feet. “Easy.”

Catra cackled when she saw the looks on everyone’s faces. “Haha!” she pointed. “Anything’s possible for me when it’s a game. Now, Glitter, it’s your turn.”

 _”Oh my god, she’s fucking crazy!”_ Glimmer gasped. “Um... truth?” She was definitely not keen on wondering what Catra had in store for her.

”How long does Bow last in bed?” Catra quickly spat out. “Remember the rules!”

”Oh, that’s easy!” Glimmer was cut off by Bow putting a hand over her mouth. “Ugh, what?!”

”That’s a little personal,” he widened his eyes. “Do me a favor, babe? Please?”

”You’d rather me show them my tits than tell them how long you last? It’s not even that embarrassing!”

”Maybe?” he sheepishly admitted. “Please?”

”God, you’re insufferable!” Glimmer groaned, unclasping her top. “You owe me one then.”

”Wow,” Catra snorted. “It’s really that bad? Whatever, who’s next?”

“I’ll go next,” Bow adjusted his sitting posture. “Scorpia, Truth or Dare?”

”Truth!”

”What‘s Catra’s most embarrassing secret?”

”Oh, fuck you!” Catra sighed. “Scorpia, I swear to god...”

”I got Catra’s back on this one,” Scorpia smiled. “Sorry, Bow.” she undid her top, now joining the club of half naked people.

”Okay, that’s a little unfair,” Bow rubbed his neck. “I guess it’s my turn now.”

”Truth or Dare?”

He crossed his arms. “Truth.”

Before Scorpia could ask him the question, Catra whispered something in her ear. “Wait, that’s really not fair now!” Bow let out a huff.

”It wasn’t part of the rules,” Catra shrugged. “So you can’t stop me.”

”Bow... how long do you last in bed?” Scorpia shared a grin with Catra.

”Oh, come on!” he groaned.

Glimmer gave him a jab in the shoulder. “Wow, thanks a lot!”

”If you wanna know so bad, it’s about twenty minutes.”

”Damnit, Bow! Now I’m freezing my tits off for no reason. Literally.”

”See? Wasn’t so bad.” Catra rested her head on Scorpia’s shoulder, prompting a surprised glance from Adora.

”Adora goes next.” Bow added. “And then we play one more round. She gets to ask anyone.”

”Oh...” she nervously looked around to see who to pick. “Bow, Truth or Dare?” She had other plans, but Bow was the safest bet for her. He wouldn’t do anything that bad to her... right?

”Dare!” he said, feeling a bit more confident. “I’m putting my life in your hands, Adora.”

“I dare you to...” she looked around for ideas. “Body slam Glimmer.”

“You’re joking me! What the hell is wrong with you, Adora?” Glimmer gasped. “Why am I always getting involved in other people’s dares?”

Bow got up, reaching his hand out to Glimmer. “I’m sorry... it must be done.”

”Remember that damn favor you owe me? I’m using it now! I can’t believe you even thought about doing it,” she smacked his hand away. “Take off your shirt.

”Okay, okay, fine,” Bow sat back down, lifting up his tank top, throwing it to the side afterwards. “Adora, now that you tried to ruin my relationship, I won’t go easy on you anymore. Now, Truth or Dare?”

”Um... Truth?” she was slightly worried about what he would ask her.

”Brace yourself, witch!” he snickered. “So, out of everyone in this group...”

The way he started the question already made Adora’s stomach turn. It was gonna be awful, she knew it, and she couldn’t stop it. Would she rather face the embarrassment of answering the question truthfully, or deal with her body being exposed to everyone? She dug her hands in the blanket she sat on.

”...who would you have a one-night stand with? Nobody would know,” Bow finished. He winked over at Glimmer, much to the groups confusion.

“What?!” Adora’s jaw dropped. “I-I don’t know!”

”Rules are rules, Adora. Answer the damn question or strip!”

Sputtering her words, Adora blushed. “C’mon, Bow! Really?”

”Don't make me do it for you!” Glimmer had her hands ready.

”I... I guess...” Adora had a dilemma. Tell the truth and die internally? Lie and get caught? Or take her clothes off? Two steps from short-circuiting, she made her final decision. “I want you guys to know that I hate you all.”

”What’s your answer?”

”...Catra,” she mumbled as softly as she could. Half of the group barely caught the words that skimmed past their ears. Her blush has now traveled from her face all the way down to her face.

”What?” Bow leaned closer to Adora, hand on one ear. “I didn’t get that.”

”...Catra,” she whispered quickly, burying her face in her hands.

”Adora, I literally can’t hear you-“

”I said Catra!” she blurted out, covering her mouth as realization dawned on her. “I’m gonna kill you, Bow...” Adora meekly looked over to Catra, who seemed uncomfortable and avoided her eyes.

Satisfied, Bow returned to his seat. “Here’s the last round. Same order, so you can go, Glimmer.”

“Catra,” she had a glint in her eye. “Let’s see you beat this one.”

”Yeah?”

”Truth or Dare.”

”Dare, baby.”

”I dare you to get someone’s number in three minutes.” Glimmer got her phone out, opening the stopwatch app on it. “Starting as soon as you get up.”

”Easy peasy,” Catra scoffed, standing up. “Watch me.”

She walked off towards the nearby boulevard, approaching nearby strangers. Her face gets increasingly agitated as passerbys wave her off. Once time’s up, she trudges over back to the group. Glimmer smirks, pointing at Catra’s top. “Off it goes.”

”You’re lucky the beach isn’t where people wanna be picked up,” she unties her bikini top, throwing it. It lands on Glimmer’s face. “I’m still gonna fucking win though.” 

Glimmer quickly swatted it off. “Gross! It’s not my fault you can’t flirt to save your life.”

”Trust me, I get what I want most of the time,” Catra suggestively winked. “Today’s just not my lucky day.”

”Yeah, yeah,” Glimmer giggled. “Whatever you say.”

To Adora’s surprise, Catra was way more comfortable with being topless than she thought. She didn’t try to subtly cover herself up like Glimmer, but instead literally embraced it.

”Okay, now your staring is fucking creepy,” Catra cringed at Adora. “Am I really that hot?”

”What?!” Adora covered her eyes, lowering her head. “Sorry!” Bow and Glimmer gave eachother a small fist bump from behind.

“Alright, Truth or Dare?” Catra crossed her legs, leaning back on one hand. Her chest was now fully exposed, but she honestly didn’t look like she cared. “Don’t be boring, pick dare.”

”Fine, fine,” Glimmer conceded, sighing. “Dare, but go easy on me, why don’t you?”

”Sure,” Catra chuckled. “I dare you to do five pushups with one arm. One try only.”

”Son of a-“

“Get crackin’, Glitter.”

To much of her chagrin, Glimmer fell after only two pushups. It was extremely difficult, and she huffed as she slid her thong off. She was glad she was sitting on a beach towel at the moment. “You’re such a cheater.”

”You started it.”

Catra genuinely enjoyed the night so far. It was pretty fun playing stupid games with them, and their mixed personalities as a whole resulted in something slightly chaotic, not that she minded. Being in the moment was nice. Just as Scorpia said, the trip was turning out to not be bad at all.

“Scorpia, Truth or Dare?”

”Seeing as you tried to break Catra and I’s friendship up the last time I picked Truth, I’ll go with Dare this time.”

”Perfect,” he cracked his knuckles. “I dare you to... text Perfuma that you love her and your children together will be beautiful.”

Scorpia instantly took off her bottoms, not even skipping a beat. “No thanks.”

”Oh, wow...” Bow raised a brow. “You haven’t asked her out yet?”

”Not like that!” Scorpia defended. “She’d never talk to me again if I said that to her!”

”Okay, fair enough.”

“Hold on, you like Perfuma?” Adora asked. “She talks about you all the time.”

”What? Really? What does she say?”

”She thinks you’re cute.”

Blushing a little, Scorpia turned back to Bow. “Truth or Dare?” she tapped her fingers on her knee. “I’m gonna get back at you, you know?”

”That’s why I’m gonna go with Dare. Give me your worst!”

”I dare you to post a nude on your Snapchat story and not take it off until fifteen people see!”

”Haha!” Adora cackled. “That’s a good one.”

Bow’s jaw dropped, and he begrudgingly took off his shorts. “You... you know I have my dads on there! And half my family members! How dare you!” he pointed a finger a her. “I didn’t know you played dirty.”

”Hey,” Scorpia shrugged. “You told me to give you my worst.”

“It’s my turn now, right?” Adora rubbed her fingers. “Do I still have to pick Bow?”

”No, but why? You scared?” Bow nudged her twice, winking.

”You’re horrible at this game!”

”What? I make it interesting!”

”I’m picking Glimmer this time,” Adora rolled her eyes. “I don’t trust you anymore.”

”Wrong choice, blondie,” Glimmer smirked. “Whaddya got for me?”

”Truth or Dare?”

”Dare. I have nothing to lose anymore... literally,” she gestured towards her body. “I might as well go all in.”

”I dare you to run a lap around the boulevard.”

”...I brought this upon myself.” Glimmer got up and sprinted as fast as she could. Thank God it was already getting dark out, so less people would notice her apparent streaking. Everyone shared a laugh at her shadow gliding through the night. Once she returned to the group, she sprawled out on the beach towel. “I don’t even care if you see my coochie,” she huffed out. “I’m too damn tired to care at this point.”

”Hey, no one’s judging. The whole group’s pretty much naked anyway,” Catra twirled a hair.

After catching her breath, Glimmer sat up. “Okay, Adora. Truth or Dare?” She had to hold herself back from cackling. She had the perfect plan for embarrassing Adora even further.

”...Truth.”

”God, you’re such a pussy. Live a little.”

”If I chose Dare, you’d make me do something crazy!”

”Thats the fun of the game! Fine, Truth it is. Who’s the last person you masturbated to?”

”Excuse me?”

”I know damn well you heard me, Adora.”

”I...” Adora felt her heart stop. As if the last question she got asked wasn’t embarrassing enough, this one took the cake. “Um...”

”Just spit it out! What, is it one of us?”

”No way!” Adora averted her eyes. ”...Maybe.” But there was no way she’d tell them! “I...” Groaning, she took her sports bra off. “Fine, you win.”

”It _is_ one of us!” Bow cracked up. “Wait, let me guess who it is! I bet it’s Ca-“

”Shut up, Bow!” she pushed him over, face burning up. “The game’s over! And it’s not one of you! I just don’t wanna say.”

”It’s Ca-” Bow tried again, but was quickly put into a head lock by Adora. “Okay, fine! I’ll stop!”

“I’m gonna go now,” Catra motioned towards the shore. “Had fun though.”

”Wait! But it’s a tie right now,” Bow grabbed her by the shoulder. “I thought you wanted to win.”

”Alright, I’ll bite. How’s this gonna go?”

”You and Adora play a round. Coin flip decides who goes first.”

”I could do this in my sleep.”

Suddenly turning competitive, Adora butt in. “Really? Cause I remember always winning at our games.”

”You’re fucking joking me,” Catra scoffed. “You must have early on-set dementia if you think so.”

”I can prove it by winning at this game.”

”You’re on,” Catra put a hand on her hip. “Toss the damn coin already. I call tails.” She was slowly getting pissed off at Adora’s sudden boldness. _“You wanna play it that way? I’ll show you then.”_

Bow tossed the coin in the air, catching it in his palm. He closed it, and paused. Once he revealed the side the coin was on, Catra gave a shit-eating grin. “It’s my victory. Now, Truth or Dare?”

”Dare,” Adora replied, crossing her arms. “Give me your best shot.”

”I dare you to call Mara right now and tell her about the thing you did when we were twelve.”

”What? That’s easy... oh,” Adora’s face dropped. “You mean...?” There was no way Catra was talking about...

”The one and only.”

Adora let go of her arms and clenched her fists. Sighing, she took off her shorts. “Alright, you win.” Catra couldn’t help but look away.

“What’d you do?” Glimmer asked. “Was it really that bad?”

”I’m definitely not telling any of you.”

”Oh, I can!” Catra piped up.

”Catra! No! Ugh, I’m surprised you even remember that stupid thing.”

”Hey, whatever works, works,” Catra shrugged, picking up her bikini top. “I told you I always win.” Tying it back in place, she started walking away. “Now I’m really going. I’ll see you guys in a bit.”

Bow glanced over at Scorpia, who was already dressed. “Do you mind getting us some drinks? I’m a little thirsty. Here’s some cash,” he handed her a wad of bills. “My treat.”

“Sure,” she took it from his hands and scurried off.

”So, Adora,” Bow crossed his arms. “Glimmer and I will buy you some alone time with Catra. No need to thank us.”

”What?! Why would I need time with her? And alone?”

”Come on, I saw you ogling her body the whole time. Ever since she changed into her bikini. You are so thirsty, I swear. Couldn’t even take your eyes off her when she took off her bra thing.”

”Shut up, Bow,” Adora jabbed him in the shoulder.

”Are we just gonna stand here like three naked weirdos, or are we gonna put our clothes back on before we continue talking?” Glimmer sighed.

They follow her advice and sat in a small circle. “What would I even talk to her about?” Adora traced her finger along the sand, drawing random doodles. “I don’t even think I know her anymore.”

”I don’t know, anything! Maybe you should talk to her about what happened.” Glimmer rested her head on Bow’s shoulder. “Try to work things out? It’s not everyday that you get a chance to talk to her heart-to-heart.”

”I don’t think she wants to talk to me...” Adora sighed. “I guess I could try, but I’m not really much of a talker though.”

”Atta girl!” Bow smiled. “It’s the thought that counts. Me and Glimmer will go get some food with Scorpia while you do your thing, okay? Good luck.”

Bow got up with Glimmer and met up with Scorpia, who was mid-way from returning to the group. They talk for a little before turning around towards the food courts. Adora was now alone with her thoughts. _“God, what would I even say to her? What if she doesn’t want to talk to me? It’d be so awkward...”_

”I’m in the mood for some nachos, what about you?” Bow pointed towards the nearest vendor. “Or maybe pizza’s good too.”

”Actually, I could go for some nachos right now,” Scorpia nodded. “I’ll go buy a plate for Catra too.”

“I’ll get us a table while you two wait in line then,” Glimmer walked off.

Bow and Scorpia wait for a few minutes in line, mindlessly chattering about whatever. Once they get their orders, they look around for any sign of Glimmer. Meeting eyes, she waves them over to a nearby table. “By the way, Scorpia, we’ve been meaning to talk to you about something for a while now.”

”Really? What’s up?” Scorpia took a bite out of a tortilla chip. “Sounds important.”

”I mean, it kinda is...” Bow grabbed a handful, shoving it down his mouth. “Oh, these are so damn good,” he chewed.

“It’s about Catra,” Glimmer crossed her legs, dangling a flip flop from her toes.

”Catra?” Scorpia raised a brow. “What, you don’t like her? She’s just misunderstood, so-“

”No, it’s not that! She’s great!” Bow scratched his chin. “We were just... thinking about setting her up with Adora.”

Scorpia slammed both of her hands on the table. “What?!” she raised her voice, attracting the attention of nearby visitors. She sat back down, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Sorry, but why in the world would you do that?”

Bow felt sweat form from all over his body. _“Oh god, is it too late to abort mission? I thought she would be on board, but she’s completely the opposite!”_ He looked over to Glimmer, who shared the same sentiments.

”You don’t think it’s a good idea?” Glimmer adjusted her posture, now sitting upright.

“Jesus, no!” Scorpia had stopped eating, now giving her full attention to the conversation. “Did you even ask Catra about this?”

”Well, no-“

”So you don’t even know if she wants to be with Adora or not!”

“That’s why we were going to ask you.”

“I wish I knew what she was thinking,” Scorpia drummed her fingers on the table. “That’s why I don’t like whatever your idea is. What if Catra wants nothing to do with Adora? You’re just gonna start all this unnecessary drama.”

”But Adora still likes...”

”I don’t care what Adora thinks. A relationship needs two people.” Scorpia looked down at her food. “Look, fine. Do whatever you want, I just don’t want any part of it,” she grabbed a chip. “You can try to set them up, but I’m warning you now about what could happen.”

From what Scorpia had gathered from all the little snippets of information Catra had confided in her, the other girl still wasn’t sure about how to think about Adora. People playing cupid around them wouldn’t be a welcome change in her life. Scorpia had a feeling Catra still was... is fond of Adora, but she hadn’t realized it herself yet. Catra needed time to think, and playing matchmaker right now isn’t going to help.

Bow sat there in shock, unsure of how to continue the conversation. Actually, he couldn’t. It was over already, considering Scorpia’s refusal to help them. Second-guessing his plan, he grit his teeth. She was right. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea after all.

Catra found herself sitting in a secluded spot in the corner of the beach nearby. Staring at the dimming sun setting made her unusually calm. She enjoyed the little getaway today. It was nice just sitting on the sand, thinking about nothing as she looked at the vibrant colors up in the sky. The temperature had lowered significantly, making the sand feel relaxing. Catra dug her fingers under the cool sand, making her warm hands glide around from under.

It was easy to ignore all the others around her in the distance. It was her time alone, something she found therapeutic almost. She closed her eyes and leaned back on her arms, taking in a deep breath as the intermittent breeze blew past her. The crisp air slowed her breathing.

She was snapped out of it when she noticed movement beside her. Kicking a little bit of sand towards Catra, Adora shuffled next to her, hands behind her back. She looked down, somewhat with a worried expression.

”Can... can we talk?” she fidgeted, alternating between bending each knee slightly. “Please?” she gave a little hopeful smile.

Catra didn’t respond, neither accepting nor rejecting the invitation. She simply just continued looking towards the horizon, past the waves crashing at the shore. The cold wind rushing past tickled her face every now and then, but she didn’t mind.

Adora took a long, deep breath and then sat down beside Catra, not too close, but also not too far. She knew that now wasn’t the time to get in her space, but it would also be too awkward to sit far away from each other.

Hugging her knees, Adora turned her head to Catra, who was still paying her no mind. She looked at Catra’s slightly messy hair from the eventful day, and how one of her bikini top’s strap hung loosely off her shoulder. She wanted to fix it, to touch her, but not yet. She couldn’t.

”Catra...” Adora began, tightening the hold on her knees. “Can we please try being friends again?”

It was all Adora had ever wanted after seeing her again. She had missed their interactions together, and watching Catra treat Scorpia like she had once treated Adora made her long for their reconnection even more.

 _”Friends.”_ The thought echoed in Catra’s head. Friends. It was amusing to see Adora finally scramble to fix the problems she caused in the first place. Is it even worth it to try again, knowing that she wasn’t Adora’s priority? Catra thought it went both ways, but apparently not.

The silence was almost deafening, the sound of the water ebbing filling the scene. Adora grimaced at the lack of response. _“I knew it.”_ It was like talking to a brick wall. Adora flinched when Catra finally opened her mouth to talk to her. Hesitating for a moment, she blinked slowly.

”Why?” was all that she had said. Catra didn’t take her eyes off of the sunset, but her breathing seemed a little more faster. Any other time, she would just walk away from Adora, but something about being here at the moment was different. Was it the mood? The serene feeling that flowed through her body made her a little more benevolent.

After asking that simple question, Catra felt as if the anchor that weighed down her heart had shifted ever so slightly, allowing her to breathe a little more easy. Her chest cleared up, yet she still had that lingering feeling. She had finally asked Adora the burning thought that clouded her mind all these years.

“Why?” covered a lot of things. Why did you leave me? Why was I not enough for you? Why did you do _that?_

She didn’t expect Adora to exactly understand what she meant, but she was curious about how the girl would respond. What would her mind snap to after hearing that question? What did she think about her? Would her answer satisfy Catra? She didn’t know. As much as it weighed on her, it didn’t _bother_ her.

Sitting alone together gave them both a nostalgic feeling, but it was still different. Things had changed. Both of them had changed, but something from within remained.

Adora parted her mouth, unsure of how to answer. She was afraid. What if she said the wrong thing? It could sever the tie, even if thin now, she had with Catra permanently. It could cause the rift between them to deepen. So... what was it? Her heart pounded against her chest, sweat forming on her palms. What could she even say?

Her racing heartbeat ceased for a moment when Catra finally met her eyes. She had turned away from staring at the shifting sky to look at Adora, who was still dumbstruck. Her lips quivered as she repeated the question, wanting... hoping for an answer. The right answer.

“Why?” Catra adjusted her position, now slightly facing Adora with her body. She didn’t elaborate on the question, just repeating it to quicken the response time. After all these years, she couldn’t wait any longer.

”Why what?” Adora let go of her knees, letting her legs sprawl out on the sand. The tension on her body was relieved, but not the one on her mind.

Catra didn’t say anything and just continued to look at Adora. Instead of disdain, her eyes were now full of hurt. Adora paused for a few moments before deciding on an answer. She didn’t know how Catra would take it, but all she could do was wait and see.

“Because...” her throat felt dry, and a lump was quickly forming inside, telling her to not say it. She swallowed thickly, but it remained in place. Her stomach twisted and turned, finally calming down when the words slipped out of her mouth. “Because you’re Catra.”

Catra’s eyes widened at the answer. It was a mixed response of confusion and shock. A vague question followed by a vague response, was it? Her mind was slow on processing it. What did Adora mean?

There were endless possibilities on how to interpret the answer, but it was fair, considering her own question.

Taking a leap of faith, Adora placed her hand on top of Catra’s, and to her surprise, the other girl accepted it. She didn’t pull away nor leave. Maybe it was a step in the right direction. So far Adora had been following her gut feelings, and it helped her get to here. She stroked Catra’s hand with her fingers.

”I don’t want to lose you again,” she whispered, scooting closer. “...Because you’re Catra.”

Once more, Catra was at a loss for words. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Adora, who felt the same way. Adora’s eyes softened as she inched closer and closer. The answer she had given was based on what she had said earlier in the conversation, Catra realized.

Her mind was wracked with worry, anxiety, she felt like time was moving too fast. Restlessness and confusion crept up her body, and thinking straight was getting harder and harder to do. The breeze that swept past her was no longer enough to cool her down.

Catra frowned. _“If you didn’t want to lose me, then why let me slip through your fingers in the first place?”_ It was simple enough. If Adora really thought that way about her, then why did this all happen in the first place? Catra was set on how to feel about Adora’s answer, but the way she said it almost changed her mind.

The sincerity of it was sickening. She was disgusted by herself, almost allowing herself to accept it and move forward. But it felt right.

By the time Catra had collected her thoughts, Adora was already too close. They were touching shoulders, Adora’s hand still holding Catra’s. With no other options, the two just looked into each others eyes. The air was thick.

Adora couldn’t help but follow the magnetic pull towards Catra. Her eyes flickered between Catra’s gaze and lips. Her breathing quickened, now pulling in small breaths with her mouth.

Time felt like it slowed down, each movement minuscule, painful even. Adora continued to move closer to Catra, their lips mere moments from meeting.

Adora closed her eyes and pushed herself mentally to make the final move. She leaned in, parting her lips slightly, the familiar feeling taking over. She’d done this in the past. Her face flushed with heat, throbbing heavily. Her heartbeat slowed down. She anticipated the kiss, digging the fingers of her free hand into the sand as a brace.

Just before their lips touched, Catra quickly clasped her hand over Adora’s mouth, backing away. “No...”

Adora felt fear take over her body in that split second. The warm feeling she experienced moments before had vanished instantly. _“Did I mess up?”_

“W-what’s wrong?” Adora stammered out, eyebrows knitted together in worry. “You don’t want to...?”

Catra looked away, face completely out of view from Adora. “We can’t,” she uttered, slightly trembling.

Adora leaned closer, reaching out to Catra’s face. She gently turned it towards her. “Why not?” Moving her hand from Catra’s cheek to her hair, she stroked it.

Catra’s face relaxed for a second before scrunching up in reluctance. “We’re not kids anymore!” she shut her eyes forcefully. “We can’t just do these kinds of things anymore.”

Her voice changed from urgent to low, calming down at the last sentence. If they kissed now... it would change everything.

”Why?” Adora asked. It was the question of the day, with each girl repeating it multiple times.

”Things are different now,” Catra looked down at her lap, tensing up. “Kisses mean something else now.”

Though she didn’t understand the ones they shared years ago, she knew that they don’t carry the same weight as kissing Adora now. 

“What do you mean?” Adora tilted her head slightly.

Catra frowned. “They’re not something you can just do with someone. They’re for someone important enough in your life-“

”But you mean a lot to me!” Adora’s body was basically begging for it now, any second longer would kill her. She missed the feeling that kissing gave her, and being this close, yet so far was excruciating. “You’re important to me! I don’t get it, Catra...”

Catra hated it. Everytime she would try to push Adora away, she always came running for her. In the past and even now.

...But that’s what she likes about her. Catra had missed her so much. The anger that riled her up years ago had passed, turning into denial. Then grief. Acceptance never came, constantly haunting her thoughts with “what-ifs?”.

She didn’t want to see Adora because it was what she had wanted for so long deep down inside. Pushing it aside, she thought it would never happen until that day. Catra played it off as still holding a grudge, but she just wasn’t ready. She wasn’t happy to reunite with Adora. She wasn’t angry at the world anymore. She was just confused.

Catra sat there in stunned silence, urging Adora to try once more, their faces mere centimeters apart. Obliging, Adora cupped Catra’s face with her free hand. Catra closed her eyes in anticipation, then tension irritating her.

Adora leaned in, feeling Catra drawing breaths in and out. She shuddered as their lips brush together for the first time, her grip on Catra’s hand tightening. Adora jumps back for a second in surprise, but eagerly returned, closing the gap for more.

Adora laced her fingers together with Catra’s, a reminder of their old habits. Moving her hand from Catra’s face to her hip, she pulls her in. Their bodies were now pressed up against each other, alternating between their chests heaving up and down.

This struck something from inside Catra. It felt wrong, but she couldn’t turn away. Her mind was fighting with itself; a part of her screaming to stop, but the other begging for more. She wanted nothing but _more_ of Adora, and every thought that popped up was quickly waved away from just being in the moment.

Catra gasped, breaking away from the kiss, but found herself quickly wrapping her arms around Adora’s shoulders to continue. Her lips tasted sweet. Every second apart was undesirable. She ran her hands down her back. The blonde responded by readjusting her grip on Catra’s hip and resting her hand on her thigh.

”Adora...” Catra moaned softly. The word igniting something from below, Adora pushed harder against Catra, gently squeezing the thigh she had placed her hand upon. It was on instinct; she wasn’t thinking. Her body moved on its own, listening to Catra’s reactions as invitations to take the next step.

She briefly stopped to trail gentle kisses down Catra’s jaw. Catra whimpered, trying to bite back audible reactions. She shuddered and squirmed below as she felt a twitch. Adora pecked Catra’s neck, shifting to deeper kisses when she noticed Catra clutched her harder. Adora sucked on multiple places of her neck before finally settling on her collarbone, leaving dark marks behind.

She returned to Catra’s lips when hers felt lonely. The situation on hand was... indescribable. Adora felt an unfamiliar throbbing heat in between her legs. An ache. It made her uncomfortable, it was unbearable, really. The deeper they kissed, the more it relieved the pressure, but it also caused it to grow.

 _More._ Both of them wanted more, but they were already as close as they could be to each other. Adora groaned in frustration and slowly guided Catra towards the ground, laying her down. The restraint Adora was trying to hold on to was now out the window.

She snaked her hand up Catra’s thigh, lifting her leg up ever so slightly, causing it to press up against between her own legs. It was a welcome shift in positions, even if a little intimate. It felt too good to stop. Her other hand traveled up from Catra’s hip to her waist, caressing it.

Each sharp breath they took only heightened the tension. Catra’s lips parted slightly as she felt Adora’s do the same. Her tongue slowly crept its way into Adora’s mouth, tracing her lips on the way in. The kiss was easily becoming more and more intense than the last one they shared together. She raised her arms higher, clutching Adora’s hair as a brace. She ran her hands through it wildly, grasping at anything to pull her closer.

The kisses they’ve had before were definitely nothing like this. They were always short and sweet, but something about today made Adora act weird. Touching Catra soothed a feeling that built up inside her ever since they shared the car together.

Minds going blank, their tongues met each other and quickly danced together for dominance, waves of pleasure ebbing through their bodies. Catra nibbled on the tip of Adora’s tongue, causing her to flinch. She opened her eyes to see Catra still throughly enjoying their little endeavor, not realizing what she just did. Catra involuntarily arched her back as Adora rolled her tongue around hers, digging her nails into her back.

Adora was afraid to take a breather, she didn’t want to stop nor separate from Catra. She couldn’t tell whether if it was her heartbeat she was feeling or Catra’s. As each second passed, occasional moans of pleasure slipped out from the two, growing louder and louder as they get used to each other’s lips and touch. Adora couldn’t help but grind against Catra’s leg as they kissed, hoping for relief.

Trading saliva, they easily become intoxicated with each other. Adora couldn’t take it anymore and pulled back, panting. Both of their faces were severely flushed. It was hard to see, but they were close enough that it didn’t matter. She trailed her eyes across Catra’s face, proud of the end result. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, huffing and puffing for air, still pressed up upon one another.

Burying her face in Adora’s shoulder, Catra wrapped her arms around her back. Taking a deep inhale, she takes in Adora’s scent, the one she missed all these years. They lay there in peace, the aftermath of... _that._

Gasping, Catra suddenly jerked away and pushed Adora off of her, getting up quickly. She stood in front of Adora, eyes wide and lips twisted. She looked afraid, but of what?

Adora reached out to her, holding on to her wrist. “What’s wrong? Did you not like it?” Her face matched Catra’s look of utter fear and confusion.

Catra didn’t answer, and instead yanked her arm away. She liked it, and that was the problem. This was something she thought she wouldn’t have done for the life of her. She couldn’t bear to look at Adora and turned away. “I... I need to think,” she mumbled, briskly walking far as she could from Adora.

Leaving Adora behind, she made her way towards the bathrooms. Catra held her hand over her lips, studying the tingling sensation lingering on them. Once she made it inside, she splashed water on her face. She looked up at the mirror afterwards, surprised at the state she was in. Breathing heavily, face flushed, what would she use as an excuse now?

Her eyes drop down to the strange marks on her neck. _“Goddamn it...”_ she traced her fingers along the trail. _”She really did this to me?”_ Catra sucked in a sharp breath as she turned away from the mirror. She left the bathroom and sat down on a nearby bench, wondering what the hell went wrong.

Catra sighed into her hands. She glanced at the new pair of feet in front of her for a second, looking up when she recognized them. “Scorpia?” she jumped. “What are you doing here?”

Scorpia took a seat next to Catra. “I should be asking you that, Wildcat,” she lightly shoulder checked her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Catra waved her off. “Don’t worry about me.”

”I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Scorpia lowered her voice. “I know something happened,” she tipped her head towards the marks on Catra’s neck. “You can trust me.”

Catra’s hand shot up to her neck, covering it. “Damn,” she cursed under her breath. “Okay, fine. I guess something happened. It’s not a big deal though.”

Chuckling, Scorpia put a hand on Catra’s shoulder. “That doesn’t seem like it’s not a big deal. It looks like you just finished with... you know.”

”Oh, shut up.”

”Did Adora do that?”

“No, I had a quickie with someone in the bathroom earlier,” Catra scoffed.

”Oh, really? I didn’t know you were the type to...”

”Jeez, shut up,” Catra poked Scorpia in the ribs. “I was being sarcastic. Of course it was fucking Adora.”

”So you two finally made up?”

Catra stopped laughing, and her face turned to a grimace. “No,” she replied curtly, even if tone was unsure. “That’s why I’m mad at myself.” Scorpia didn’t answer, and instead opted to be a listener.

“I’m so stupid. I told myself for _years_ that I never wanted to see her fucking face ever again, but as soon as she sweet talks me, I’m all over her. How does that even happen?” Catra snapped, leaned back on the bench. “I can’t believe I even _thought_ it was okay.”

And she was right. Why spend all those years angry just to throw it away the second things seem okay?

“...Sorry for the dumb rant,” Catra rubbed her hands on her thighs. “Just wanted to get it off my chest, I guess.”

”I’m always here for you.”

”...Yeah, you are.”

Hanging her head, Adora walked to the group’s spot on the beach. She saw no one there, so she just sat on the lawn chair. A few minutes pass and the other three returned. Bow’s smiled dropped when he saw Adora’s expression. “Adora?” he called out.

Scorpia looked around. “Where’s Catra?”

”I... I think she went to the bathroom. I’m not sure.” Adora muttered.

”What? Weren’t you two together?” Scorpia tilted her head. “Never mind, I’ll go look for her. I’ll see you guys in a bit.” she quickly turned on her heel and set off to search for Catra. 

Bow knelt down to Adora, who was now burying her face in her hands. “Adora,” he reached out. “What happened?”

”I... I think I messed up,” she admitted, choking up. “I think I just ruined everything.”

”What?” Glimmer stepped closer. “But you guys looked like you made out- I mean up.” Nice slip up of words, Glimmer.

”You saw that?” Adora looked up. “God, I don’t even know what happened.”

“No, but I can tell from the way you look. I literally see some scratches on you, not to mention those big ass teeth marks on your shoulder. Anyway, isn’t that a good thing? That you two kissed?”

“That’s the problem,” Adora groaned. “I shouldn’t have kissed her. I thought she liked it because we didn’t stop, but she ran off afterwards. She said she needed to think about things.”

”That sounds pretty bad,” Bow pursed his lips. He thought about what Scorpia told them earlier at the food courts, but then again, Catra _did_ kiss Adora back. “But I think you have a chance with her though.”

”What are you talking about? She ran away as soon as we stopped.”

”But she let you kiss her, right?”

”Yeah...” Adora looked down at her feet. It was a selfish move. Catra showed her all these signs of her not wanting Adora, but she went for it anyway. She wanted to take it back, but also didn’t. “I just don’t understand her.”

”I don’t understand _you!”_ Glimmer threw her hands up in the air. “We told you to _talk_ to her, but you go and fucking make out with her?”

”Hey,” Adora backed up. “I didn’t mean to! I just got caught up in the moment. We were talking at first...”

”And then your horny ass decides to mack on her lips?!”

”No!” Adora shouted. She paused, looking away. “Maybe!”

“If only you kept it in your pants for one damn second, this wouldn’t have happened,” Bow frowned. “Did you get anywhere with her? Other than... you know,” he gestured.

”I asked if we could be friends again, and she just asked why,” Adora shook her head. “I kissed her after telling her the reason.”

”Wait, I think you actually moved way too fast. One question and you’re already kissing her?”

”I know, I know!” Adora sighed, sweeping back the loose strands of her bangs. “I just had a feeling that I should’ve. I don’t really know how to explain it.”

”What are you gonna do now?” Glimmer rocked back and forth on her feet. “The ride back’s gonna be super awkward.”

”Maybe if I pretend nothing happened...”

”Really?” Bow rolled his eyes, resting his hands on his hips. “Are you like five?”

”What else am I supposed to do?!”

“Actually, I agree with Adora,” Glimmer patted Bow on the back. “She should avoid talking about the kiss until the next time they talk alone.”

”What do you mean?”

”Adora needs to talk to Catra and sort out whatever feelings they have... alone. Adora, after this, ask her to talk or something.”

Bow turned his head towards what figures resembled Scorpia and Catra in the dark. As they got closer, he gasped. Eyes on the hickeys left by Adora, he couldn’t help but stare. “Oh my god,” he put a hand over his mouth. “You said you two just kissed! It looks like you fucking _attacked_ her!”

”What are you talking ab... Jesus fucking Christ, Bow, you’re right!” Glimmer looked like a deer struck by headlights. “Adora, what in God’s name did you do?”

”Nothing!”

”Stare at me a little more, why don’t you?” Catra narrowed her eyes, putting a hand on her hip. “Come on, it’s getting late.”

Bow shook his head, snapping out of it. “Right, right. Ready to go home, squad?”

(This is how their watergun fight went down basically)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're liking the series, please leave a comment/kudo! I also accept criticism/feedback! I appreciate you all for reading this trashfic! Thank you so so so much for the kudos and comments so far!! I look forward each time I update to your comments :)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my first ever written kiss scene! I had to do a little bit of research, but I think I did okay.


	5. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squad gets invited to a party, but it seems like everything just went wrong on the day they were supposed to enjoy.
> 
> No noncon or dubcon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the long awaited HATE SEX. 😏
> 
> I updated some of the previous chapters. Go back to see what the surprises I left are!
> 
> I also updated the playlist for the last time. I think it's finally completed! Take a look at the songs to see where the story might go if you want.  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/nq34ialjsuaza21t84z6aqujy/playlist/6DPGCnDInOrS3Hw2CUd34x?si=WIgCN9PXSlCc4Zir5uI6BA

Catra looked out the car window as they all drove back home. Nobody was talking, and instead what filled the silence was the sound of the radio. Both Scorpia and Adora looked at her in worry, with Scorpia switching seats with Catra for the ride back. Catra didn’t care though, she was lost in her thoughts. The soft rumble of the car was a soothing enough ambience.

Bow looked at the backseat through the rear-view mirror. Clearing his throat, he broke the silence. “So... how was the trip? You guys had fun?”

Catra sighed, still looking at the blurry houses the car passed by. “I guess I did.”

 _”Oh, I can fucking tell,”_ Glimmer chuckled to herself as she glanced at Catra’s hickeys.

”What?” Bow turned back to her. “What’s so funny?”

”Ugh, it’s nothing.”

”No, I wanna know.”

”It’s really nothing. Just laughing to myself. Little ol’ me.”

”That’s a gigantic lie, but fine. You’re definitely telling me later.”

”God, Bow, can you leave me alone for once?” Glimmer groaned. “It’s nothing!”

”If you say so,” he smirked.

”I’m glad you guys came with us today though,” she nodded behind her. “It was really fun.”

”Aw,” Scorpia smiled. “It’s nothing. Me and Catra had a great time too, right, Catra?” she elbowed her.

”Yeah, yeah.”

They pick up the last conversation they had earlier for the rest of the car ride back home to Etheria. Adora awkwardly tried to join in or add to Catra’s comments, hoping things got better after their little endeavor back on the shore. It wasn’t long until they see the sign on the highway pointing them towards home. “Uh, who wants to be dropped off first?” Glimmer stopped at the first red light.

”Just drop me and Scorpia off at my place. She can spend the night, so you don’t have to worry about using too much gas.” Catra waved her hand dismissively, letting it land on Scorpia’s arm.

Staring at it, Adora called out. “Uh... I can stay at your place too! So you can save gas or whatever. Yeah, you know,” she nervously chattered.

”Adora, what the fuck?” Glimmer snorted.

”What?” she felt her face get red.

“Your house is like a ten minute walk from mine. What are you talking about?”

”Well, I’m tired, okay?! Maybe ten minutes is too long right now,” Adora crossed her arms in a huff, trying to save herself.

”Sure, whatever you say.”

 _”Dammit, Glimmer, why couldn’t you just play along?!”_ Adora couldn’t bring herself to look at anyone else.

”Anyway, we’re here. Do you need help getting your things out?”

”Nah, we’re good,” Catra slid out, Scorpia following close behind. They want at the trunk as Glimmer unlocked it. When they finished unloading their gear, the trunk slams shut with a loud, resounding ‘thud’. “Thanks for the ride,” Catra walked by the driver’s seat. “I’ll see you guys later.”

”Later, Catra,” Bow waved.

”Yeah, later,” Glimmer joined in.

Unsure of what to do, Adora slowly forced a smile. “Um... bye, Catra.”

Glimmer pulls out of the street once she saw the two get in the house safely. As she turned the corner, she finally let out the laugh she’d been holding in for so long. “Really, Adora?”

”What?!” she pouted. “What’s so funny? What’d I do this time, Glimmer?”

”What the hell was that ‘I’ll say over at your house too’ thing? And the way you’ve been acting all damn day!”

”I don’t know! Words just come out when Catra’s around. I don’t know what to tell you.”

”Aww,” Bow mocked. “Cat got your tongue? Get it? Cat... Catra?”

”Shut the fuck up before I toss you out,” Glimmer snapped. “That’s not even remotely funny.”

”It’s funny to me!”

”So do you still wanna sleep over?” Glimmer giggled. “Or did you change your mind?”

”I changed my mind! Just take me home, you guys are driving me crazy.”

”But you love us,” Bow hummed, knowing full-well she couldn’t leave them even if she wanted to. “So, so much,” he put his hands out in emphasis.

”Things are about to change if you keep this up,” Adora grumbled.

A week later, practice rolls around again once more. They set up for a session as usual when Bow pulls each member aside one by one for a quick talk. Catra was first. “What’s up?” she asked, still fiddling with her guitar. “Did something happen?”

”Well, yes and no,” Bow sighed. “I know the gig is coming up soon, but my friend Entrapta made a few adjustments to the score to make it sound better. They’re not big changes though, so you should be fine.”

”You know Entrapta?” Catra stopped for a second to look at him. “God, did Scorpia introduce you to everyone she knows or what?”

”No, no, no,” Bow waved his hands, denying it. “She told me that while she was showing Entrapta one of our practice sessions, she noticed a few inconsistencies or whatever in our songs and made a few ‘fixes’ to it. Scorpia said that we should trust her on this one.”

”Okay, fine,” Catra sighed. “Where’s the updated score?”

”Gimmie a sec,” Bow checked through the stack he had in his hands, and let out a small ‘a-ha!’ when he found Catra’s part. “Here, take this. I gotta go talk to everyone else now.”

Catra returned to tuning her guitar and settling the kinks as Bow discussed the matter with everyone else. They all seemed to be fine with the small hiccup, even impressed with the new sounds. “This is actually really good,” Glimmer commented. “Fuck, why didn’t we ask her to look over this earlier?”

”Because we didn’t know her?” Bow raised a brow. “But I agree, I like the changes. Your friend is a genius, Scorpia!”

Rubbing her arms, Scorpia awkwardly chuckled. “It was nothing. She did it in like five minutes.”

”Five minutes?! Oh my God, we need to add her as our like, consultant or something!” Bow shook Scorpia by the shoulders. “Next time we write a song, she’s gotta be there!”

”I mean, she’s usually busy, but I can try to get her to come...”

”Alright, well, my mom wants me to go pick something up now, she bagged me all morning about it. You guys can take your time cleaning up, but I gotta go,” Glimmer quickly ran inside the house, leaving her guitar on the couch. Bow sighed and took care of it.

“Then, Catra, can you-“ Adora started, but was cut off by Catra already walking back to her car. She and Scorpia were done and ready to leave.

”No can do, babe,” Catra strolled out of the garage without looking back. She pulled out of the driveway as fast as she could.

”Bow. Oh my God,” Adora gripped his shoulders, the pressure almost killing him. “Did you hear what she called me?!” her voice cracked.

”Ouch!” Bow winced in pain. “Down, girl!” he tried to get her to let go to no avail. “Yes, yes! I heard what she fucking called you! It’s literally not a big deal though, I don’t know what you’re so worked up about.”

”Not a big deal?? She called me ‘babe’! We’re getting somewhere now!” Adora was now unnaturally giddy, almost bouncing at her feet. “I can’t believe we’re finally using nicknames again!”

”Adora!” Bow shoved her off, clutching his now destroyed shoulders. “She calls everyone ‘babe’, remember?! Glimmer, Scorpia, fuck, even me?!”

”Oh, right...” Adora’s temporary happiness died down. “Yeah, I’m such an idiot. How could I ever think...?”

”You got _way_ too happy about that, Adora...”

”No I didn’t!” she tried arguing, but Bow already made up his mind. “Whatever, think what you want. I can’t stop you anyway.”

The next day, Catra and Scorpia were eating at the diner. They were waiting for their orders as usual when Lonnie hops into their booth. She bumps Catra on the shoulder. “Heya, Catra!” she cheerfully greeted.

”Oh, hey, Lonnie,” Catra tried to calm herself down from the borderline jump scare.

”What’s up, Lonnie?” Scorpia grinned. “You usually don’t come by here. Well, not at this time, I mean.”

”Rogelio wanted some food before we dropped by my house,” Lonnie pointed towards Rogelio, who was waiting in line with Kyle. When they meet eyes, he gives a slight nod. “Thought I’d say hi to you guys for a sec.”

”Oh, well... Hi!” Scorpia waved.

”Anyway, I have a party coming up this Friday. Are you coming?”

”Friday? Well, we have practice on Saturday.” Scorpia pursed her lips. “I don’t know.”

”With your band? They can come too, if they want. You can invite anyone; their friends can come too.”

”Really?”

”Of course. Any friend of yours is invited. I gotta go now, but text me if you need anything. See you guys later,” Lonnie winked, following her friends to the door. They wave goodbye as they leave.

”Do you think they’re the type to party? Glimmer, Bow, and Adora I mean,” Scorpia raised a brow.

”Definitely not,” Catra snorted. “But there’s a first time for everything.” She was about to say something else when her phone lights up. Taking a glance, she sighed as she saw it was from Adora. Again.

Scorpia frowned as she saw Catra visibly look upset. “Is it her?”

”God, she doesn’t get the hint. I almost never reply and when I do, it’s so dry. She’s been texting me literally every day. Look at this shit, you can’t make this up,” Catra shoved the phone in Scorpia’s face, pointing to the text messages on the screen.

5/4 ->Adora: I can’t wait for tomorrow. Remember that one beach we always go to? It was one of our favorite spots.

5/4 <-Catra: lol yea

5/4 ->Adora: Good memories, right? Maybe we should go check it out sometime to see what happened to it. I heard they opened a bunch of new shops.

5/4 <-Catra: busy

5/4 ->Adora: I didn’t even say when though? What do you mean?

5/4 <-Catra: when

5/4 ->Adora: Any time! I’m free whenever, I’d be happy to go with you again.

5/4 <-Catra: can’t busy

5/4 ->Adora: What?

5/5 ->Adora: Today was fun! I had a great time, what about you?

5/5 <-Catra: yea

5/5 ->Adora: We should do it again sometime.

5/8 ->Adora: Want to get the usual at the diner today? I can pay!

5/8 <-Catra: sorry i was with scorpia

5/8 ->Adora: It’s okay! That was Bow anyway hahahaha. He took my phone.

5/8 ->Adora: But I’m still down to go if you are?

5/12 ->Adora: Hey.

5/14 ->Adora: Hey, you there? :)

5/15 ->Adora: Are you coming to practice?

5/15 <-Catra: yea but late

5/15 <-Adora: Cool! How was your morning? :)

“Oookay,” Scorpia cringed really, really hard. It hurt reading Adora try so hard. At least she didn’t quadruple text, right...? “Get that away from me before I get embarrassed for her even more,” she pushed the phone away, prompting Catra to bring it back to herself. “That’s actually a big yikes. A super yikes.”

”Yeah, I know. I feel kinda bad even. Here, I’ll text her right now about the party.”

”Wait, I don’t think that’s a good-“

”What? Why not? We’re gonna invite them all anyway,” Catra brushed her off, already sending the text.

”Because she’s gonna think...” It was already too late. Scorpia already heard the signature ‘whoosh’ sound of a text sending. “That you’re inviting her as a date...”

”Oh, whoops. Lemme fix that.”

<-Catra: wanna go to a party next friday

->Adora: Of course! Just us two?

<-Catra: what?? no it’s a party of course other people are gonna be there adora. what are you talking about?

<-Catra: anyway bring bow and glimmer

<-Catra: bring anyone, the party’s open invite anyone can come

For the first time, Adora didn’t reply immediately. She was probably punching the air or something. Catra shrugged it off and turned back to Scorpia. “All fixed now,” she said, chipper.

Scorpia just stared at her in awe. She knew, deep down inside, Catra gave her hope and just crushed it not even two seconds later. “Right...”

Adora sighed heavily as she set her phone down. Bow looked at her from the living room couch. “What? What’s wrong now?”

”Catra invited me to a party,” she slumped her shoulders, dropping them to an almost impossible angle.

”That’s great! So what’s the big deal?”

”She told me to invite everyone else I knew.”

”...Oh.”

”Yeah, so... do you wanna go to the party?”

”A Horde Party? Adora, you don’t even have to ask.”

”Huh? What are you talking about?” Adora tilted her head skeptically.

”Adora, come on. You’ve never heard of a Horde Party?!”

Glimmer ran into the living room from the kitchen, holding the brownies she was just baking. “I heard ‘Horde Party’ come out of your mouth. What. Why. How. Where.”

”Catra just scored us invites to one!” Bow cheered enthusiastically, hugging Glimmer. She almost dropped the tray she was holding.

”You’re kidding me!” she practically threw the tray down, joining Bow in his victory dance. “I’ve been wanting to go to one since like, forever!!”

”Same here! This is our lucky day!”

”Woah, woah, woah!” Adora broke them up, getting in between them with a hard shove. “What the hell is a Horde Party? Can someone tell me for once?”

”It’s just a regular ol’ party... but better. Every time Horde High hosts a party, it’s almost never open-invite... But it’s freakin’ amazing. Imagine the craziest thing ever— then crank it up to 100. There’s drugs, alcohol, loud ass music, party games, a pool, everything! They get stuff no high schooler should ever have access to!”

”Uh, I’m not too sure I wanna become a crackhead or alcoholic-“ Adora cut in.

”Me neither! But it’s the experience! We can watch other people get fucked up!”

”Remember when everyone said that this one guy broke his legs doing a flip off the roof trying to land on the pool?”

”Oh, hell yeah. What about that girl who tried to seduce the cops that came to shut down that one party?”

”Come on, Adora, we have to go! It’s gonna be so much fun! And Catra’s gonna be there...” Glimmer added, winking suggestively.

”Okay, okay,” Adora sighed. “I’ll go if you guys really want to.”

”Great, we would’ve gone without you anyway if you said no.”

”Goddammit, Bow!”

D-Day; the night of the long awaited party. Glimmer picked up Bow and Adora from their houses after each had to lie to their parents about going to a party. Sure, a regular party was fine... but a Horde Party? This was a whole different ballgame. They were in the big leagues now with the big, bad Horde kids. As Glimmer pulled up to the neighborhood the GPS directed her to, they could all already hear the dozens of speakers blasting music. She gripped the steering wheel a little harder in anticipation. Bow took a big gulp as they slowly approached the street.

The pulsing bass of the music shook them deep inside, the strobe lights almost blinding them. It was a simple two-story house, but it had to house maybe less than a hundred people. There were Horde students sprawled out drunk on the lawn, some throwing up in the driveway and sidewalk. Others were chatting with each other just having a good time.

”Oh my God,” Bow gasped.

”Oh my God indeed,” Glimmer agreed. “It’s as big of a mess as we thought it’d be.”

Adora couldn’t quite hear them from the backseat as the music somehow got louder and louder. She was surprised how the party didn’t get shut down yet or how a neighbor didn’t even file a noise complaint. Maybe they were attending the party themselves. The loud rap music almost tore through her ear drums as she got out the car. “Holy f...” she had to hold herself back from cursing.

”It’s so damn loud!”

”What?” Bow covered his ears.

”I said it’s so damn loud?”

”What?!” he repeated, still not hearing her.

Glimmer grabbed him by the shoulders and yelled in his ear. “She said it was too fucking loud!”

”I know!!” Bow shouted.

”What?!” Adora stepped closer to hear.

”Oh my fucking God...” Glimmer grumbled to herself, dragging the other two to the front door. She reached out to open it, but someone beat her to the punch from inside the house. He was a very tall man, intimidating stature and all. As they meet, he crossed his arms with a frown. “Who the fuck are you guys?” he looked them over. “I don’t recognize any of you.”

”U-uh, we...” Glimmer stammered. “We were invited by...”

The tall man scoffed, brushing her off. “Invited? Look at you fools,” he gestured towards their outfits. “Who do you know?”

”If you’d just let me talk...”

”Rogelio!” a female voice called from behind him. “The fuck is the problem?”

Rogelio turned around. “Oh, Lonnie?” he changed his demeanor to a friendly one. It was a big change from what they were looking at earlier. “Some weirdos said they were invited, but I don’t know them.”

”What the hell? Lemme see,” she pushed past him. “Alright, what loser invited you geeks?” Lonnie checked them out. “Tell me the name, and maybe I’ll...” she freezes when she sees Adora. “You,” she scowled, face definitely not happy to see her.

”O-oh, hey, Lonnie...” Adora waved nervously. “Um...”

”Why the fuck would you show you face her-“

”Yo, Lonnie,” Catra put an arm around her shoulder. “They’re with me. They’re cool, got it?” Her words cause the group to sigh in relief. They were glad Catra was there to defuse the whole situation.

”The fuck?” Lonnie wrinkled her nose. “You’re talking to her again?” she snorts as she looks at Adora’s dumbfounded face. “Nah, you gotta be kidding me.”

”I invited them,” Catra nodded towards Bow and Glimmer. “But shes all buddy-buddy with them too.”

”You want me to kick her out?” Lonnie smirked. “I wouldn’t mind.”

“Nah, nah,” Catra played it off. “It’s an open-party. Everyone’s invited, remember?”

”Alright, I’ll bite. But the second she doesn’t something I don’t like...”

”I’ll leave you to it. Now c’mon,” she waved the group over. “Let’s get partying.”

When they all walk in, they get whiplash from the sudden burst of cloud smoke and the scent of alcohol and jungle juice. Bow pinched his nose after coughing up a lung or two. “Holy fuck!” he waved the air around his face. “How do you even breathe?!”

”You'll get used to it,” Catra cackled as she led them towards the kitchen area. “It’s not so bad, pansy. Come on,” she yanked his fingers away from his nose.

Adora tried her best to seem and play it cool, but she really was nearing her limit from following Bow’s example and coughing her whole air supply out. “Yep. All fine. Used to it now,” she walked stiffly. “No issues here!”

Glimmer’s jaw was dragging on the floor as she walked past the sea of very, very wasted people. Guys and gals were dancing topless on a table, dozens of people were passed out on the floors and couches, and people were just... grinding on each other like they were in their own world. It felt surreal.

”Don't mind them,” Catra snapped in front of Glimmer’s face to get her attention back. “They always do that.”

The house was very dim except for the occasional party lights flashing on their faces. Every now and then, they would get a glimpse of something they wish they’d never seen. “So, you guys want anything?”

”Uh...” Bow was at a loss of words. “Fun?”

”Fun? Come on, give me something more specific. You wanna smoke? Drink? Dance? Strip? There’s all kinds of shit to do here,” Catra put a hand on her hip.

“Oh, can I drink?” Glimmer raised her hand.

”Okay, I don’t know why you’re raising your fucking hand, but sure. Anyone else?”

Both Bow and Adora shook their head. “Alright, Glitter, let’s go. We can leave these two to do whatever.”

”Have fun!” Glimmer waved, skipping while she followed Catra. 

“Damnit, it’s just you and me now, huh?” Bow sighed. “I don’t even know what to do at parties like these.”

”Me neither. How about we dance...” she caught a nearby couple getting very intimate in their little dance, the girl grinding very, very hard on her seemingly boyfriend. He guided her hips towards his crotch as they vibed the the music. “Okay, scratch that.”

”Yeah, I don’t think I’m gonna be doing that to you anytime soon,” Bow eagerly nodded. “How about we mingle?” he looked around for any friendly looking people. “Maybe there’s some cool people around here.”

“Adora,” Lonnie called out from the beer pong table. “Fancy seeing you here. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

”Oh, speak of the devil,” Bow snapped. “Look, your friend wants to talk to you already.”

”Bow, I don’t think...”

”Let’s go see what she has to say.”

Adora walked over to the three, unsure of what Lonnie wanted. Her words were welcoming but tone full of malice. “Uh... yeah? We met at the door.”

”I know.”

Adora fidgeted nervously, meeting Lonnie’s eyes. “Hey, Lonnie... and you two.” She looked over to Kyle and Rogelio, but they don’t say anything to her, just staring her down from their seats.

”Care to join us for a round?” Lonnie offered, but it sounded like advice. “Your friend can play after you.”

Shaking her head, Adora declined. “I... I don’t really know how to play. I’m not that big on drinking anyway.”

Bow also rejected the invitation. “Me too, sorry.”

”Aw,” Lonnie shifted her eyes. “Let’s talk then. Just like the old times.”

”Um... sure,” Adora took a step closer. She was now on the other side of the portable plastic table set up. The only thing between them now was that and the line of red solo cups full of beer. “What do you want to talk about?”

When Adora left for Bright Moon Academy, Catra wasn't the only person Adora left behind. Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio were also part of her life. They were close, but not at the level she was at with Catra. She was on good terms before, but the vibes and atmosphere in the room now proved that things had changed. She knew Lonnie wasn’t exactly so fond of her now.

”I want to know why the fuck you thought it was a good idea to show your dumb face here again,” Lonnie spat out, her demeanor instantly changing. Passive aggressive was now just aggressive. Pointing at Adora, she scoffed. “I don’t know what you did for Catra to even make her think you were welcome here.”

”What are you even talking about? I didn’t do anything!” Adora retorted, suddenly defensive... and a little scared. “I’m trying to fix things.”

Bow didn’t know how to react in this situation, so he kept quiet. It seemed like the two had a lot of bad blood.

”Are you stupid?” Lonnie threatened. “After what you did to us... to Catra? You think barging back into her life will make things better?” she downed the cup that was sitting behind her. “Do you know what the fuck Catra even went through for years?”

Lonnie scrunched her face up in anger, but relaxed after taking a deep breath. She didn’t want to get worked up at her own party, and especially in front of Kyle and Rogelio. I mean, how are you supposed to react when the person who caused your friend so much grief shows up to your gathering? “You know, she was finally getting over it.”

She didn’t know what to do when Catra suddenly was so closed off and reluctant to speak to her, Kyle, and Rogelio. At school, Catra was just a shell of her former self. Sitting there quietly, not doing or even saying much to her peers. When things started getting better and she regained her past personality, it was a big relief. Seeing Adora again was something Catra didn’t need, Lonnie thought.

“Look, I know I hurt you all by not keeping in touch,” Adora pleaded. “But I’m trying best to fix that.”

Lonnie snorted, causing Kyle and Rogelio to join in on the laughter that followed. “Can you believe her?” Lonnie pointed to Adora with a thumb, looking at Kyle and Rogelio. Turning back to face a confused Adora, she wiped a tear from her eye. “Seems like you’re still as funny as before.”

”I’m not kidding!” Adora couldn’t believe that nobody was taking her seriously.

”You think you’re good enough for her? God, how low do you think her standards are?” Lonnie was now egging Adora on for something, but she didn’t know what. “You don’t even know how to have fun at a damn party.”

“I don’t? Okay, let’s test that out. I’ll play your stupid game then,” Adora furrowed her brows, taking the bait. “What’s the rules?”

”No, Adora, I don’t think-“ Bow reached out to her shoulder, but Adora shrugged it off. “Adora!”

”I can do this. I can take care of myself, okay?”

”How charming,” Lonnie crossed her arms. “Beer pong is easy. Here, take this,” she pulled out a ping pong ball out from under the table, tossing it over to Adora, who barely caught the sudden throw. “We each take a turn throwing our balls into the other person’s cup. If it lands inside, your opponent drinks it. Loser has no cups left.”

”Wait, all ten cups?!” Adora panicked a little. She never drank alcohol before, let alone ten cups of it! Bow pursed his lips, letting the bad feeling take over his body. He knew something was going to go wrong, but couldn’t stop it.

”Duh, that’s what makes it fun. Sheesh, how could you not know the most basic party game?”

”Just shut up and start the game,” Adora grumbled, losing patience at the second. “Who’s going first?”

”Coin flip. Pick a side.”

”Heads.”

Lonnie flicked a quarter in the air, watching it land on the table. She grins as it rattles, settling right side up. “Show me what you got, Adora.”

Hearing her name come out of Lonnie’s mouth gave her chills, seeing as it was coated in heavy spite. She trembled a little as she lifted her ball up, aiming for a cup. She scanned the table for an easy shot, but none came to her. Adora took a deep breath as she decided on the closest cup in the triangle formation.

Overshooting it by a lot, she clicked her tongue as it whiffed past the cup. “Fuck,” she cursed.

”Better luck next time.” Lonnie quickly tossed a ball, it easily landing into one of Adora’s cups. “Drink up, buttercup.”

”...All of it?” Adora twitched. She eyed the floating ping pong ball in the half-filled cup of what looked like beer.

”Yes, all of it. Don’t chicken out now.”

Adora reluctantly removed the ball and brought the cup closed to her face. It smelled weird, and she definitely never tried alcohol before. _“Well, if everyone is drinking it, it should be fine, right?”_ She waited a moment before tossing her head back, downing the drink in one gulp. _“That’s how they do it in the movies, right- oh.”_ Her throat and stomach instantly started burning, her body quickly heating up. She felt like gagging, but nothing compelled her to. She was just... warm. The drink was insanely bitter.

”Adora!” Bow patted her on the back as she coughed up a fit. “Look, if you can’t handle this...”

Lonnie smirked at Adora’s reaction. “Get used to it, you have nine more to go.”

Adora felt herself slightly slur her words, but not too much. “I’m... gonna win,” she put the empty cup to the side. Lining up another shot, she mutters a small _“yes!”_ under her breath as she sunk her ball into one of Lonnie’s cups.

The other girl nonchalantly chugs the cup and tosses it to the floor like it was nothing. “Don’t get too excited now. I’m just getting started.”

Stifling a laughter after seeing her miss her shot, Kyle gets a death glare from Lonnie. “Sorry, sorry. It was just funny how-“

”Shut the fuck up before I kick you out.”

Adora tried again, but also missed. She grew increasingly frustrated as each round for the next few minutes were all just misses. She had to win. _“Wait, what am I doing this for again?”_

Lonnie finally sunk a ball in a cup, much to Adora’s dismay. “Fucking finally,” she groaned under her breath. She was off her game this time around, and wasn’t sure of what the hell was causing it. She noticed Adora visibly get repulsed by the second drink. “Can’t handle a little drink?” Lonnie mocked.

“Focus on the damn game, Lonnie,” Adora wiped the alcohol left on the corners of her mouth. “You’re gonna need it.”

Catra lifted up her legs, resting her feet on the empty upturned bucket on the ground. It no longer held beer bottles, so she found a different use for it. She sat opposite of Scorpia and Perfuma, who were awkwardly flirting. Having no idea why she was even there in the first place, she sighed. Beside her was Glimmer, standing there with a half empty bottle. “Enjoying your first party?” Catra looked up at her.

“What? It’s not our first party!” Glimmer retorted, a little too defensive. “I’ve been to a bunch before.”

”I had to open your bottle for you. How do you not know how to use a damn cap opener?”

”We’re not all party animals like you, Catra,” Glimmer took a sip. “My parties are a little more tame. Is this even allowed?” she pointed at her drink.

”Duh, of course not. But nobody’ll know,” Catra smirked. “I don’t drink anyway. It makes me feel awful.”

”Like a hangover? Then don’t drink so much.”

”Look at little miss princess trying to advise me on shit like this,” Catra mocked jokingly. “But no, not like that. Drinking just makes me nauseous in general, no matter the amount.”

”So you can’t handle your liquor?”

”I don’t get shit-faced drunk,” Catra narrowed her eyes. “I just don’t like the taste.”

”Whatever you say.”

Scorpia had her arm around Perfuma, the cause of a little liquid courage. She was glad when Perfuma didn’t seem to mind. “You know, Lonnie hasn’t hosted a party in a while.”

”I mean, they’re not exactly cheap. She can’t drop hundreds every few months for a few dipshits to trash her house.” Catra pointed her head towards the group standing by the backyard fence. They were goofing off, and not even a few seconds later, one broke a hole in the fence. They quickly scurry off to get away from the scene of the crime. “See?”

”Okay, okay,” Scorpia chuckled. “I’m surprised she opened the party up to everybody though. Usually it’s invite only, from her.”

”I don’t know either. Maybe she wanted a big “end of the year” party. We’re graduating soon, yeah?”

“I think it’s nice of her to do that,” Perfuma added. “She seemed very unique when I came by earlier.”

”Are you calling her weird?” Catra scoffed.

”No, not even close. I think she’s great!” Perfuma crossed her legs. “She’s one of the few people I know from Horde High. I’m glad everyone’s not like the rumors say.”

”Rumors?” Scorpia raised an eyebrow. “What rumors?”

”Way to make it awkward, Perfuma,” Glimmer tossed her beer bottle in the trash can outside. “In lil’ old preppy Bright Moon, a lot of people think Horde High is full of drug addicts, drop outs, gangsters, whatever. I don’t believe any of that bull shit though. Everyone here is just like the students from Bright Moon.”

Glimmer paused for a second. “Except for the suspiciously easy access to alcohol and weed.” she glanced over to the others in the backyard smoking.

”How noble of you,” Catra leaned back into her chair. “How’d you guys even meet?” Now seemed like a good time to ask. She knew how Scorpia, Bow, and Glimmer met vaguely, but definitely not how Scorpia and Perfuma did. 

”Us?” Perfuma glanced over to Scorpia, who was still holding her close. “Well, I’m friends with Adora. You know her, right? She’s in the band with you if I remember correctly. Adora introduced me to Bow and Glimmer, and one day I saw Scorpia with them. Things happened and now we’re friends!”

”Really? You befriended Scorpia even though you knew she was from Horde High and heard all those rumors?” Catra was confused.

”I think everyone deserves a chance. Scorpia is a wonderful person, after all. I think you are too, just a little troubled.”

Catra scoffed, looking away. “Okay, weirdo. I guess you’re nice too.”

“Thank you, Catra.”

”Anyway, how’s your first taste of beer?” Catra turned to Glimmer, who now took a seat next to her. “Was it like you expected?”

”Not really. It’s really bitter, but it does make the party a little more fun. I can relax a bit more, I don’t know how to really explain it.”

”Girl,” Catra chuckled. “You’re buzzed. And from your first bottle? Good for you.”

”Buzzed?” Glimmer tilted her head at the unfamiliar word.

“It’s the good feeling you’re getting right now.”

”Oh, I see. I don’t think I can drive home tonight though.”

”No, duh. Just call an Uber. Lonnie can take car of your car. You can trust her.”

”So, you ready for the upcoming gig? It’s just in a week.” Glimmer took off her sweater. It was getting a little too hot outside for her liking.

”I’m chillin’,” Catra sighed. “I think we’re ready. We sound good together.”

”Yeah, yeah,” Glimmer nodded along. “I think so too. I’m glad Scorpia called you in.”

”...I guess.” Catra sat there, staring at the star-speckled sky. She was glad she met them too, but the reunion with Adora was completely unexpected. Was it really worth it all? She let the cold breeze tickle her skin. “How do you know Adora?” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could realize it. Maybe it was the joint she smoked earlier that made her feel like it was okay to share some things.

”Adora?” Glimmer picked up a gatorade from the nearby cooler in between the group. “Me and Bow worked on a group project with her. We never really talked to her much before that.”

She watched Catra’s unmoving body for a moment before asking a question of her own. “Do you like Adora?”

Catra scoffed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Fuck no.” Adora screwed her over, end of story. But nothing could explain the feelings Catra still had about her. No matter how much she thought about it or talked to Scorpia, she still didn’t know what the hell to think. It was easier just to not, but was it better? “But maybe I’ll let it go some day.”

”Let it go? Are you still mad at her?”

Not surprised at Glimmer knowing her past, Catra just shrugged. “Not really at her. I’m mad at myself.”

Scorpia didn’t say anything, as she’s had the conversation with Catra multiple times before. Perfuma made herself smaller, not wanting to feel intruding. She didn’t know Catra all that well, and didn’t want to add to the conversation that she knew nothing about.

”What? Why?” Glimmer gripped the arm rest of her chair. She was getting closer to the mystery of their relationship. “Why would you be mad at yourself?”

“...’Cause I’m actually thinking about letting her back in my life,” Catra sighed deeply, closing her eyes. Right now, the loud music blasting through the house was drowned out, and all they could hear was themselves in the moment. “You get me?”

”No, I don’t,” Glimmer continued staring at Catra. Every answer she gave made her even more confused, but then again, nothing was ever not so convoluted. “I think it’s good that you’re moving on and accepting that you guys can be together again.”

”If she dropped me once, what makes you think she wouldn’t do it again?” Her words cut through her own body as they left her mind. Adora could do the same thing again as soon as she thinks Catra isn’t good enough for her again.

”I’m sorry,” Perfuma joined. “It’s not really my place to say, but... Allowing things like this to happen, keeping your heart open to people, isn’t always a bad thing,” she started. From what she had heard, Catra got stung once already and was scared of it happening again. But things can be different this time around. “I believe it’s worth it to _try,”_ Perfuma smiled warmly.

”Yeah, it isn’t your place to say,” Catra replied curtly, causing Perfuma to drop her smile. It returned when she heard what followed after, however. “But thanks for the advice.”

Glimmer almost dropped her drink when Bow came running at them. Panicking, he made erratic movements to quickly get their attention. “Guys!” he called out, waving his arms. “Who hasn’t drank yet?” His voice was urgent.

”I’m the designated driver, so me. What’s wrong?” Catra shifted her posture, now sitting upright.

”Adora...” he was breathing heavily. “You need to get her home _**now.”**_

”What? What happened?” Glimmer got up from her seat, Scorpia doing the same. “Did she pass out?”

”She will at any second! She was playing beer pong with Lonnie, and she had too much to drink for her first time. I need you to get her home before it gets really bad.”

”Okay, okay,” Catra briskly walked towards Bow, Scorpia following for support. “Bow, stay with Glimmer. I’ll handle this.”

”Thanks, Catra. I owe you one.”

”Don’t mention it.”

Catra wove through the sea of people in the living room and into the kitchen where she last saw Adora. She pushes through harder when she spots the familiar high-ponytail. “Adora!” she reached out, grabbing her shoulder. “Adora.”

”Woah,” Adora spun around, meeting Catra’s eyes. “What’s the big deal? I’m in the middle of something here.” Her face was as flushed as the time they had shared a kiss. Her movements were a little slow. Catra could tell she was intoxicated, but not to the point of being black-out drunk. Bow was right, it was time for her to go home, even if a little early.

“Heya, Catra,” Lonnie waved at her. She looked like she was having a grand old time. “We’re in the middle of something here,” she gestured over the table. “Can it wait?”

”Yeah, we’re in the middle of something!” Adora involuntarily let a little giggle out.

“Okay, yeah, no,” Catra pulled Adora over to her. “It’s time for you to go home now.”

“What are you worrying about someone like her for, Catra?” Lonnie spat out. “Remember what she did to you?”

”Listen-“ Catra replied, but was cut off by Adora.

”Shut up, Lonnie!” she shouted. “Catra, let me finish up here, then I’ll go.”

Catra looked around, finding three empty cups at Adora’s feet. “How much did you make her drink?”

”Are you kidding me?” Lonnie furrowed her brows. “Why are you acting like I forced her to play the game? She joined on her own accord. It wasn’t even much, it’s lightweight compared to what I had to drink.”

”Okay, okay,” Catra backed off. “My bad. Let me just bring her home, I’ll be back later.”

”Good, she’s half a cup away from passing out piss-drunk.” Lonnie crossed her arms, grinning at Kyle and Rogelio.

”Not gonna lie, she did pretty good for being drunk,” Kyle prodded Lonnie. “You drank more than her.”

”Oh, shut up. You can’t even have a sip without throwing up,” Rogelio laughed.

”No, I’m gonna win!” Adora pushed Catra away, returning to the table. She raised her arm to line up one more shot, but Catra grabbed her wrist. “Catra!”

”No, you’ve had too much already. It’s not good for you if-“

It was hard for Adora to think. The musky room and weed smoke made it hard to see or breathe. The alcohol didn’t help. At this point, whatever came to her head just went straight out of her mouth. She couldn’t stop it. “Catra,” she slurred. “Let me do this one thing.”

”Hell no!”

”God, you’re so annoying!” Adora raised her voice. 

“I don’t fucking care,” Catra ignored the insult, still pulling Adora towards her. “You’re being a damn baby. I’m doing this for you, so just listen. I can’t have you pass out in someone’s fucking house!”

Adora pulled her arm away for the last time. Lonnie’s words that finally piled up had finally got to her. “Stop being so annoying! This is like eighth grade,” she took a step back, but was still facing Catra.

Catra froze. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Before Adora could realize or even _stop_ the words that were coming out of her mouth, it was too late. She wanted to just _prove_ that she wanted Catra back to everyone, but they won’t let her. She wished someone just sewed her mouth shut. “Catra, can you leave me alone just this once? You’re too much sometimes!”

”Adora-“ Catra was nearing her limit at this point.

”I told you I was busy all summer, but you kept texting me and texting me _and texting me,”_ Adora enunciated. “I had so much work, but you kept distracting me every minute of the hour! I didn’t even pick up my phone anymore when I heard your ring tone because I’d be wasting my time.” Her words were heavy.

Adora sobered up just enough at the moment to have what she just said dawn on her. It caused her whole body to recoil in fear. Clasping her hand over her mouth, she gasped. “Wait, Catra-“

But it was too late. Catra’s face was contorted in anger. Everyone looking knew she was furious. Shaking, she opened her mouth to respond, but changed her mind. She twisted around on her heels and stomped off. It wasn’t worth her time. Adora, full of regret, reached out to her. She was stopped after a few steps by Scorpia, who gripped her shoulder harshly. The massive force almost yanked Adora away.

“Don’t even fucking think about it,” Scorpia uttered, fingers clenching on Adora’s shoulder. She had to hold herself back from doing something she’d regret sorely. “Never, _ever,_ talk to her again.”

Those were the last words she said before hurrying off to catch Catra. Lonnie stood there too, in fury. “Adora,” she stated. “Give me one good reason not to kick you out right now.”

”But she’s drunk!” Kyle grabbed Lonnie’s arm.

Shaking it off, she shook her head. “I don’t fucking care. Did you not just see what she did? She can pass out in the street and I wouldn’t give a fuck.”

”No, no,” Adora felt like tearing up. “I’ll go. Just... let me have these first.” She heard alcohol helped with things like this. She grabbed one of the cups still left on the table. Strangely, the beer wasn’t bitter anymore. She just made the biggest mistake in her life. Downing two more, she felt light. A little too light. The last thing she heard before knocking out was the gasps of party guests.

”Catra!” Scorpia followed her as best as she could, slipping in and out between the people in the way. She saw her leave the house and go into the backyard. Meeting Catra there, she found her resting her head against the wall in the corner, away from everyone else. “Catra...” she touched her shoulder gently. “Are...”

“I don’t want to fucking talk about it,” Catra swatted her hand away. “I’m leaving.”

”Hey,” Scorpia wrapped her arms around Catra from behind. “It’s okay, Wildcat. Just go, I can find my own way home.”

Catra flinched, but gave in. She grasped the forearms in front of her. “I’m fucking done with her.”

Bow and Glimmer worriedly came over to check out what had happened. “Catra? Are you okay?” Glimmer stepped towards the two. “Where’s Adora?”

Scorpia shook her head wildly, prompting Bow to take a step back. “I’ll... I’ll go look for her,” he hurried inside the house.

”What happened?” Glimmer hovered her hand over Catra.

”Not. Now,” Scorpia urged her to leave them alone.

”Okay, sorry...” Glimmer mumbled, walking off. She knew something went wrong, but what could’ve even happened between the two? Her gut told her that this wasn’t good.

Bow came back a few seconds later, out of breath. He had sprinted back to the backyard. “Adora...!” he huffed. “Adora passed out! We need to get her home _now.”_

”Find someone else to do that,” Scorpia let go of Catra. She stood up tall. “Call her an Uber.”

”What? But we can’t just send her off alone! She’s drunk! The driver could do something to her,” Glimmer threw her hands up in the air. “Please, can Catra just bring her home?”

Scorpia grimaced and turned her head around to Catra, who was behind her. Crossing her arms, Catra’s face was twisted with disdain. “I’ll do it. On one condition.”

”Condition? Catra, she’s passed out in the middle of the kitchen right now! It’s the right thing to do!”

”I don’t fucking care right now. So, are you gonna accept the deal or not?”

”Okay, okay! I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but fine! What is it?”

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Don’t break the promise.”

”I don’t even know what it is!”

”Take it or leave it,” Catra said, currently having no problem just walking out.

”Fine. Now please, just get Adora home safe.”

Glimmer wondered why Catra was suddenly acting this way. Adora must’ve done something very, very bad earlier, but Glimmer couldn’t put a finger on it. What could’ve Adora said to upset Catra so much? Making note of it, she turned to Bow, who also was worried.

”I’ll think about it,” Catra walked past Scorpia and Bow back into the house.

Shoving past the crowd, she stomps over to the unconscious Adora. Catra knew she was there because everyone else was making a scene. Lonnie looked up. “Catra? What are you doing here?” She had been standing over Adora, unsure of what to do with her. People usually pass out at her parties, but it was people she knew. Adora was a different story. Rogelio had put her in the recovery position.

”Getting her home,” Catra said no more, no less. Silently walking over to the body on the floor, she makes quick work and yanks her by the collar of her shirt.

”What? But...”

”Just let me do this.”

Adora blinked awake, the blurry party lights almost blinding her. “H-huh...?” she slurred. The sudden force woke her up. Blinking a few more times, her eyes finally focused. She grins like an idiot when she sees Catra. _“Catraaa!”_ Adora cheered and spread her arms, holding the other girl tightly. She was happy to see Catra here.

Almost falling over, Catra quickly took a step back to stabilize herself from the sudden weight. “Adora,” she grumbled. “Get the fuck off of me.”

”Whyyy?” Adora nuzzled into Catra’s shoulder. “We used to do this all the time!”

”Just come to the car.”

”What car?”

Catra didn’t say anything and dragged Adora away from the onlookers and towards the front door. She pushed it open with a foot after unlocking it. Adora was dragging her down with a hug, and walking was almost unbearable. She continued to move towards the spot she parked at. “Can you fucking walk faster?”

“I’m tired. Can you carry me?” Adora hugged Catra a bit tighter. “Oh, you smell good.”

Catra groaned and opened the backseat door. “Get in,” she demanded.

”Noooo!” Adora pouted. “I wanna sit in front with you!”

”Adora, I swear to fucking God-“

Looking like a child throwing a tantrum, Adora stamped her feet. “I’ll only get in if you let me sit in front!”

 _”Oh my God, I’m gonna fucking lose my mind.”_ Catra kicked the door shut and dragged Adora around the car and to the passenger’s seat side. “Now get the hell inside before I drive over you and back up.”

”Wait,” Adora loosened the grip on Catra and looked up. “One more thing!” She planted a quick, sloppy kiss on Catra’s cheek. “Hehe!” she giggled, proud of what she did.

Losing her grip on reality, Catra shoved Adora in the car. The girl landed hard on the seat with a thud. “Ouch! Can you be more gentle?”

”Adora, you’re really fucking testing me right now,” Catra cursed, leaning into the car to buckle Adora in. As she reached inside, Adora pulled Catra’s head into her chest. “Catra!” she patted her head. “You’re so soft!”

 _”Okay, I’m actually gonna kill her. I’m gonna do it. Lord help me because I’m about to go to jail for fifteen years in just a second.”_ Catra pushed against the hold to no avail. How the fuck was Adora so strong while black-out drunk?! “Adora, let me go right now!”

”But I like hugging you!” Adora stroked her hair. “I like you!”

”Let me go or I’ll never let you hug me again,” Catra lied. She had to literally mind game Adora right now, and this was her only option. God knows hugging Adora was the last thing on her mind right now. All she wanted was to get the fuck away. “I’m not joking around.”

“Promise me you’ll hug me after then?” Adora looked at her with hopeful eyes.

”Yeah, yeah,” Catra finally escaped from the extremely uncomfortable hug. “Whatever.”

”Yaaay!” Adora clapped.

 _”Why the fuck is she clapping right now?!”_ Catra didn’t know drunk Adora would be so awful and difficult to take care of. Sighing, she closed the door and walked back around to the driver’s seat. She saw Adora dancing to herself through the window. That whole ordeal just now took ten years off her life. Sleeping was something she needed _now._ Catra flopped into the car, making it shake a little.

She couldn’t help but take another deep breath as she settled in. Catra was winded from just bringing Adora out of the house. She sat back to take a breather, closing her eyes. They shoot open when she feels Adora take her hand that was resting on the stick shift. Snatching it back, she yells. “Don’t touch me!”

“Whyyy?” Adora whined.

 _”Okay, that’s it. I’m taking her straight home now.”_ Catra didn’t hesitate to start the car and pull out of the crowded driveway. Adora grabbed her hand again, but this time Catra just pulled away without a word.

”Where are we goin’?” Adora looked around the car for anything to keep her busy.

”I’m taking you home.”

”Home? Noooo! I can’t let my mom see me like this! She’ll get super duper mad!”

”Okay, and?”

”Pleaseee?” Adora pleaded, stroking Catra’s arm.

Catra groaned and took a left turn. If Adora couldn’t go home, there was only one place left she could stay at. She swerved a little too hard, causing Adora to jump. “You’re a really bad driverrrr,” she slurred.

“Text your mom that you’re sleeping over at my place. I don’t want her to worry.”

”Yaaay! It’s a girls’ night in!” Adora squealed, saying the last part a little too quickly. She absentmindedly fumbled around her body to find her phone. Once she got a hold of it, she clumsily swipes through it. “Dear... mother...” she giggled. “I will be staying over at...”

Catra stopped at a red light and snatched the phone away. “Okay, no, I’m doing it for you now.” She glanced over at what Adora had already typed. It read, ‘Der motyerh., I’m ginna syay ovr’ She had a feeling it wasn’t going to be great or readable. Mara getting a text like this would definitely cause some concerns to rise in her head. Catra quickly typed in a short text before tossing the phone back to Adora.

”Hehe,” Adora looked at her phone, scrolling through her camera roll. “Did you know I still read our old texts? You were so funny.” She stared at a picture of them together for a little too long.

Catra didn’t reply and instead focused on the road. Adora frowned and took her hand again, this time bringing it to her face. She leaned into it. Catra’s cold hand brushing against her warm face felt really good. Catra pulled away again. “Catraaa,” Adora murmured. “Why won’t you talk to me?”

”Catra!” she shook Catra’s shoulder. “Talk to me! I’m lonely without you, hehe.” The lack of response irritated Adora. “Eat my ass!”

”What the fuck?!”

”Isn’t that what you say when you’re mad at someone?”

”Hell no! Where did you even get that shit from?!”

”Oh, well... eat my tits!”

“I’m too sober to deal with this fuckery.”

It took all of Catra’s strength to not just throw Adora out the car and into the street. Taking her home was definitely on the list of things she severely regretted. She rolled down the windows of her car to get some fresh air in. “Ooh, that feels nice,” Adora commented, head in the clouds.

“Catraaa,” Adora tried again. “Are we friends?”

”No.”

”Oh, I know!” Adora clapped her hands together again. “‘Cause we’re best friends, right?”

”No.”

”Oh. Well, why not?”

No answer. Adora, sad about it, reached out to touch Catra’s face. Her hand was quickly swatted away. “Oh, you’re fast.”

She tapped her hands on her lap, alternating each time. She glanced over at Catra again, whose eyes never left the road. “You look really good. Like... pretty!” At this point, she was just saying whatever came to her mind. It felt freeing being able to just say things, like there were no consequences. “I think I wanna kiss ya again!”

It was true. Ever since that thing at the beach, that was just hanging there at the back of her mind. Her priority was getting Catra back too, but kissing was a plus. It was weird how Catra seemed to be angry at her though. What was it again that made her mad?

Catra stopped the car. She was now back at her place. Her parents were still over at her relatives’ house since something came up recently. They had to extend their stay, but Catra didn’t really mind much at their absence. “Come on,” Catra got out of the car. “Get inside.”

She once more escorted Adora out of her car and onto the porch. As she looked for the right key to unlock the front door, Adora hugged her from behind. “Catraaa,” she drawled. She hadn’t said her name so often in years, and it felt good to say. “Am I sleeping in your room?”

Ignoring her question, Catra swung the door open and dragged Adora inside by the arm. She looked around for places to put Adora for the night. _“Okay, if she sleeps in mom and dad’s room, she might throw up on the bed. They’ll kill me if she does... so...”_ Catra sighed. There was only one other place Adora could sleep. 

“Weee!” Adora slid her body across the wall.

Catra brought Adora through her room, but it wasn’t easy. For some reason, Adora grabbed every door frame in the hallway, holding the two back. When they finally made it, Adora clapped... again. “Is this your room? I haven’t been here in so long, yay!” she pushed aside Catra and barged inside before she could react.

”Adora!” Catra grabbed Adora by the shoulders, turning her around to face her. “Why the fuck are you making this so hard? Just go sleep on the bed. Don’t touch anything.”

”Got it!” Adora nodded, but didn’t move towards the bed.

”Adora.”

”Yes?”

”Get in bed.”

”I don’t wanna!”

”Adora, I’m not playing these fucking games. I’m too tired to deal with this shit right now.”

”What games?”

Grunting, Catra pushed Adora onto the bed. She didn’t expect Adora to still be holding on to her, so she fell with her. “Adora, let go,” Catra pushed herself up, but Adora still had her arms wrapped her.

”But isn’t this a sleepover? Sleep with me!” Adora giggled. “There’s room here!”

”I don’t have time for this,” Catra tried to get up from the bed, but Adora flipped her over. Now Adora was on top of Catra, holding her wrists down and straddling her.

”Adora, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

”Can I kiss you?”

”Fuck no!” Catra couldn’t believe she’d even ask or _think_ about that right now. Did she forget what just happened at the party?

”Why not? You let me do it before,” Adora was breathing heavily, face flushed from alcohol and something else.

”You’re joking me right now. You gotta be,” Catra scoffed. “You really don’t remember what you said to me?!”

Adora leaned in and Catra shut her eyes hard, bracing for it. “Don’t!” she turned away. Instead, she felt something wet drop on her cheek. Catra opened one eye, unsure of what that was. Adora was now crying. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” Catra struggled against her hold to no avail.

”I’m sorry, Catra,” Adora sniffled. “I didn’t mean to say those things. I... I wasn’t thinking, and-“

”I really don’t care.” Catra said bluntly.

”I don’t want to lose you again,” Adora leaned into Catra’s shoulder. She mumbled into her ear. “Please... I won’t give up on you.”

”I said I don’t fucking care.” Catra was seething. It was like her words weren’t getting through to Adora at all. She hears faint, shallow breathing by her ear. _“Did she really pass out again?”_ Catra pushed her to the side and got up from the bed. She glared over Adora for a few moments before leaving the room.

Being in the same room as Adora was the last thing she wanted to do. She made her way back to the car and slumped down the seat. Rolling down the windows, she stared blankly at the interior wondering where she would go now. Catra slammed her hand against the wheel, she cried out into the night. She knew it deep down inside. She always had a feeling, and it was fucking awful that she was right all along.

Perfuma didn’t know her. She didn’t know anything, so what made Catra think her advice was good? It just fed more false hope to her stupid wishful thinking. It was awful, having all those “what-ifs” being true. Adora didn’t see Catra the same way she did. She was stringing her along, playing games with their relationship. Well, past relationship. It was over now, Catra decided. This whole damn time, she was just a nuisance to Adora, quote-on-quote “waste of time”.

Giving her the benefit of a doubt was a big mistake. Adora couldn’t even blame it on being drunk. So many people say that things just slip out while being drunk, but that doesn’t excuse any of it. You’re just saying things you’ve been _thinking about all along._ Turns out she ignored Catra on purpose, and that’s not something she is particularly happy about.

Taking one last look at her house, Catra started the engine to her car. There was just one more stop left in the night for her.

Mara hummed as she adjusted the stovetop. She turned the gas to low and poured the boiling water into the cup. Walking to the dining table, she set her cup down as she heard her doorbell go off, followed by two quick knocks. Mara instantly recognized that pattern, but... _“What’s Catra doing here?”_ she thought. She wasn’t expecting visitors this late, let alone Catra.

Mara hadn’t heard that pattern in so long. Catra used to come over almost every day, but something she still didn’t know about happened between her daughter and her best friend. Even if it had been years, she still remembered.

Shuffling towards the front door in her slippers, she opened the door cautiously. Standing on her porch was an unexpectedly disheveled and angry Catra. Mara opening the door more, inviting her in. “Catra? What are you doing here?” She got a text an hour ago from Adora that she’d be staying over at Catra’s, so... What was happening?

”You wanted to talk, right? Let’s talk then,” Catra stepped inside, heading straight towards the kitchen without looking back.

”Catra...” Mara closed the door. She didn’t know what to think. The first thing she wanted to ask was about Adora, but she was also worried about Catra. _“One thing at a time, I guess.”_

By the time she got to the kitchen, Catra was looking down at the table, both hands holding her head with elbows propped on the table. It looked like she was hiding almost. Mara sighed and rummaged through the fridge. Setting the bottle of apple juice down, she sat in front of Catra. “Here,” Mara slid the bottle towards her. “You can have this.”

Catra noticed a picture taped on the fridge door. Looking closer, it was a picture of her and Adora together during one of their birthday parties. “You still have that?” she pointed at it.

”It’s one of Adora’s favorites,” Mara turned around. “She won’t let anyone touch it, and frankly, I like it too. Reminds me of the old days.” 

Catra studied the cold bottle in front of her. She wasn’t that thirsty, but appreciated the gesture. “You remember?” she cracked it open. It was her favorite brand.

”Of course,” Mara chuckled. “And I like it too.”

”Right.”

”So, what’s wrong?” Mara reached out to hold Catra’s hands, but she put them under the table, resting them on her lap. “Did something happen?”

”...You said you wanted to talk to me, right? I just figured now was a good time. What do you want to talk about?” Catra avoided the question.

Mara frowned. Something really was wrong, but Catra seemed to not want to open up. “Okay,” Mara smiled. “How about we catch up first?”

”Catch up? Like small talk?”

”Of course, we haven’t seen each other in four years, almost five. Well, excluding the other day when you dropped Adora off.”

”Oh, right. I’ve been doing fine, I guess...” Catra awkwardly looked around. “Nothing much really happened.”

”Come on, I know you at least did _something._ Any new hobbies? Any stories? Or would you like me to start?”

”Hobbies... I started playing guitar after middle school.”

”That’s great!” Mara took a sip of her tea. “Do you still sing? I remember you were in the school choir.”

”I do, but not as much. Only occasionally.”

”It’s unfortunate that Horde High doesn’t have a music program, yes? I know you were passionate about music as much as Adora.”

”No, it was just a stupid hobby. It’s not something I wanna do when I grow up.”

”But you have so much talent!” Mara glanced over Catra. “Though if you really think so, then that’s your choice. I’ll respect it.”

”How’s Horde High, by the way?” Mara rested her head on her palm, still maintaining eye contact with Catra. “I haven’t heard much about it.”

”It’s okay,” Catra fiddled with the edge of the table. “I have a few friends there. The teachers... I only like a handful. It’s probably not as good as Bright Moon Academy. Private school, am I right?”

”Psh!” Mara scoffed. “No way! If they’re rivals, that means Horde High must be at least good. Bright Moon may have a great music program, but Horde High has an astounding selection of olympic-level athletes. Don’t sell your school short.”

“Fine, fine,” Catra brightened up a little. “It’s not all that bad. Is that good enough for you?”

”Are you in any clubs?”

”I used to be, but not this year. I’m taking my senior year slow. I want it to be as stress-free as possible. Ride it through, you know?”

”I get it,” Mara gripped the handle of her cup. “Adora’s different though. All four years she’s been working harder and harder. I’m not sure who she wants to impress,” she chuckled. “I’m afraid she’s wasting all of her free time burying her face in books. She only has so much time as a kid. I’m glad she’s picking up some extracurriculars though. She told me a while back that she joined the track team.”

“What about you? How have you been?”

”Oh, Catra,” Mara laughed. “I’m already an adult. What could change about me in just a few years?”

”Oh...”

”I’m just kidding around. I’ve been doing great. Nothing really has changed, other than my age. I have been a little lonely though,” she eyed Catra.

”Trust me, I wanted to visit,” Catra looked away. “It was just...” she didn’t know how to explain it. “Things... happened.”

Mara softened her eyes. “Will you finally tell me what happened?” She always wondered why they split up, but felt like it wasn’t her place to barge in. “Catra?”

Catra let out a deep breath, clutching her jeans. “It’s stupid. It was stupid.”

”I’m sure it’s not.”

”Adora found new friends, simple as that. I wasn’t enough for her. She didn’t want me anymore.”

”What?!” That genuinely surprised Mara. Picking her jaw up from the floor, she steadied herself in her seat. “Sorry, but that’s what you think?”

”Yeah- Wait, what I _think?_ I _know_ that’s the reason why. What are you talking about?”

”From what I’ve seen, Adora never thought that.”

”You’d be surprised,” Catra cut in.

”Ever since you two stopped talking, she never stopped worrying about you. She’d ask me every day if I had heard from you. She even visited your house a couple times, but apparently you were never home.”

”Okay, I ghosted her.”

”What is with your generation and the slangs? What in the world does ‘ghosted’ even mean?”

”I cut her off.”

”Thats much better, but why would you ever do that? You two were so close!”

“She only saw me as a damn nuisance,” Catra gripped her pants harder. The thought of Adora’s confession made her so, so fucking mad. “I mean, she told me herself. I was only a distraction. A waste of time to her.”

”She really said that?” Mara never heard of this before. Their fight ran deeper than she thought. “Now that’s...”

”Fucked up? I know. Sorry for the language.”

”Don't worry about it.” Catra cussing was the last thing worrying Mara right now “I’m sorry, I didn’t know...”

”It’s nothing. It’s over anyway,” Catra sighed. Telling Mara the truth did make her feel a little better though. “I think I’m really done with her now. I’m an idiot for thinking things could go back to the way they were before.”

”Are you sure that’s really what she thinks? Have you talked to her about this throughly? She’s always told me that-“

”For fuck’s sakes, Mara. She literally said it an hour ago. Of course I’m sure.”

”An hour ago? But she told me she was sleeping at your place an hour ago. Why would you let her stay over if she said those words?”

”Because she was shitfaced drunk,” Catra spat out. “We were at a party, things got out of hand. I had to bring her home, but she didn’t want you to see her like that.”

”Ugh, I know you teens party, but at least regulate your drinking. Is she okay?”

”Yeah, yeah, she’s sleeping in my room.”

”Thank you for bringing her home safe, but next time tell me about this.” Mara reprimanded. “I was a party animal back in my day too, so I understand. Just make sure you be careful.”

“Got it, ma’am.”

”Alright, I’ll talk to Adora about this tomorrow morning. About the party... and what you said. You can stay here for the night, don’t worry.”

”Really? Where’s Hope?”

”She’s working the night shift tonight. She won’t be happy about Adora drinking, so I’ll try to keep it under the table. You’re welcome to use Adora’s room.”

”God, no. I’ll crash on the couch. Thanks for the offer though,” Catra paused after getting up from her seat. Mara did the same.

Looking at Mara for a few moments, Catra finally said something. “And thanks... I missed talking to you.”

”I missed you too, Catra,” Mara pulled Catra in for a big hug. She patted her on the back a few times before letting go. “Now go get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning, okay? Sleep tight.”

Catra nodded and practically threw herself on the couch. She hadn’t been able to rest ever since she left for the party, and just laying down felt so nice. Her breathing slowed down as she relaxed her muscles. Mara came over once more to drape a blanket over Catra, whispering a soft ‘good night’ before turning off the lights in the living room. Today was a mess. A big, fat fucking mess that couldn’t be fixed.

Adora felt herself jump a little during her sleep. The bed felt unfamiliar. The pillows didn’t feel right; the scent of Catra all over the place. She was too tired to think much about it though. A soft purr coming from on top of her, did raise a few questions. Adora noticed something heavy weighing down on her chest, but wasn’t sure until she felt the purring. _“Wait, purring?”_ Her eyes shot open. They immediately landed on the very, very big cat she definitely did not own. “What the hell?!”

The cat stirred, stretching before hopping off her chest. It didn’t seem happy to be disturbed. Adora frantically looked around the room she was in. “Hello?” she called out, just like a horror movie character in a haunted house. Throwing the blanket off of her, she quickly got hit with a throbbing pain in her head. Her body finally woke up and decided to tell her that all those drinks last night weren’t a good idea.

Adora clutched the covers as she tried to stay sitting upright. _“God, my head is killing me,”_ she got up, bracing herself against the nearby wall. She somehow found herself already navigating through the hallway as if she had already been here. The door let out a little creak as she pushed it open. Her throat was begging for water, but she couldn’t even see straight. Turning the faucet on, she quickly splashed water on her face, rubbing the corner of her eyes to clean them.

The throbbing was temporarily relieved, but returned shortly after the bathroom lights hitting her eyes. Before she left to grab a drink, she looked at herself in the mirror. Adora traced her hand over her face. _“I look terrible,”_ she sighed. As she walked towards what seemed to be the kitchen, bits and pieces of last night came back in flashes. She still didn’t remember how the hell she got here in the first place though.

 _”I was at the party, then Lonnie made me play that stupid game...”_ Adora recounted. She gasped when it all came flowing back to her. “Catra!” she muttered under her breath. _“I can’t believe I said those things to her!”_ she paced back and forth, taking intermittent sips of water. She made a mistake. A big one; the same one she was worried about making. _“I really got on top of her on the bed too?!”_ Adora groaned, rubbing her temples. She made an oath to never drink again.

Sitting down at the table, she pulled out her phone. She needed to talk to someone about this. About what had happened last night. With no one else in mind, she dialed Glimmer.

After three short rings, she picked up. “Adora? Are you okay?” Glimmer wasted no time. “Did you get home safe?”

”Woah, woah,” Adora tried to slow her down. “I’m fine, but I’m not... exactly at home,” she looked around. She knew where she really was.

”What?!” Glimmer shouted, almost blowing Adora’s phone speakers out. “I’m gonna fucking kill her-“

”Calm down, I’m just at Catra’s house!” Adora didn’t know what Glimmer was screaming about. “I’m fine!”

”Say that again? Don’t tell me she did something to you-“

”Glimmer, can you please just listen to me?”

“Okay, okay. Sorry, I’m just worried about you,” she lowered her voice.

”Catra brought me over to her place because I didn’t want my mom to see me drunk. When I woke up, she wasn’t here. I think she spent the night at someone else’s house.”

“That’s good,” Glimmer let out a relieved sigh. “Do you know what the fuck happened last night? She was really mad when I last saw her. Wouldn’t even take you home at first.”

”Glimmer... it’s easier if I tell you in person.”

”Fine, I’m on my way. Bow’s coming along too,” Glimmer quickly hung up, not giving Adora time to even respond. She texted the group chat the address and waited. A couple minutes later, Glimmer pulls up at the driveway. Adora let them in through the side door leading to the kitchen.

“So, Adora,” Bow crossed his arms. “What in God’s name did you do?”

“I... I don’t remember much. I only remember our fight.” Adora squinted, her head aching as she tried to grasp at her memories.

”What the hell? You already had a fight with her?”

”I know, I know!” Adora groaned. “I didn’t even mean to. I was drunk, and then the words slipped out-“

”What did you even say to her?” Glimmer interrupted. “You pissed her off big time at the party.”

Adora gestured them to sit down with her at the table. “I don’t even want to say it,” she grit her teeth. “I’m a big idiot. I ruined everything.”

”Adora, what did you say?”

”I told her the truth about the summer vacation we stopped talking. Well, part of it. I exaggerated a little and I looked like a complete asshole. I was just so angry at Lonnie and I-“

”Adora, breathe. It’s okay, we have time to talk,” Glimmer held her hand. “Take it slow.”

”I told her that I ignored her texts because she was just a distraction. I said that she was wasting my time every time she contacted me because I was so busy with summer assignments.”

”Like... word for word?” Bow furrowed his eyebrows.

”Not exactly, but pretty close to what I said,” Adora buried her face in her hands.

”Sheesh, Adora,” Glimmer sighed. “That’s...”

”Yeah, I know. I’m not freaking proud of it, Glimmer. I just made the worst mistake of my life, and I don’t think I can even remotely fix it.”

”To be honest, I don’t think you can... Catra was already on the fence about letting you back in her life, but this... You’re gonna need a damn miracle, suffice to say.”

”I’m just worried about her,” Adora grimaced.

”Is it true though?”

Adora perked up. “What?”

”Did you really think of her as a waste of time?”

”God, no! I really didn’t have time for her. I tried setting aside some things just to even talk to her, but even then it didn’t work. Yeah, I didn’t reply to her sometimes, but that’s because I either forgot or just... didn’t have time to. I know that sounds repetitive, but it’s true. Come on, Glimmer. You know the damn program I was in.”

”Okaaay, chill, Adora,” Bow rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re being a little bit too defensive there.”

”I’m just trying to explain!”

”I doubt Catra will want to talk to you ever again.”

”I know, okay?” Adora adjusted her ponytail. “But I don’t want to let her go again. This time I won’t give up.”

”And how will you ever do that?”

”I...” Adora was at a loss for words. “I’ll think of something.”

”God, you’re hopeless,” Glimmer groaned.

”So, are you gonna explain why we’re all just chillin’ at Catra’s house? You couldn’t pick a better place to meet up? What if she comes home and sees us just sitting here?”

”Listen, I had a rough morning, okay?”

The three jump when they hear the jingle keys of keys at the front door. “Damn, Catra’s here!” Adora ushered the other two to stand up. “You guys can’t be here!”

”What did I just say?!” Bow frantically paced around the kitchen. “She’s gonna kill all of us!” he bit his nails. _“I didn’t even tell my dads I loved them today!”_

”Shut up, Bow!”

”Where do you even want us to hide?! In the damn cabinets?” Bow shook Adora.

”I don’t know! Maybe the hallway closet?!”

”Then how would we leave, genius?!” Glimmer panicked.

”After she goes to her room? I’m not exactly a mastermind, Glimmer!”

”Dude, if we try to leave when she’s in her room, she’s literally gonna think there’s robbers inside her damn house! She’s gonna hear us!”

”I can already hear you fuckers,” Catra stood by the hallway, leaning on the doorframe. “What made you think it was a good idea to make my house your fucking hang out spot?”

”W-we...” Glimmer stammered out. One wrong move and they were all done for.

”Were making yourselves at home? I can tell,” Catra scowled. “Get the fuck out.”

”Yes, ma’am!” Bow quickly ran out, leaving the other two behind. Adora stared at Catra for a moment.

”Catra...”

”Out. Now.”

Adora lingered around long enough to see Catra grab Glimmer by the arm. “Not you.”

”What do you want with her?” Adora stepped back.

”None of your business. Now get the hell out of my house.”

Adora dejectedly walked out, but not before sneaking one last glance. _“What would they even talk about?”_

Catra smirked, leaning in close to Glimmer, who was rightfully worried. “Glimmer...” she whispered in her ear.

”Yes?”

”You and I are gonna have a little talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're liking the series, please leave a comment/kudo! I also accept criticism/feedback! I appreciate you all for reading this trashfic! Thank you so so so much for the kudos and comments so far!! I look forward each time I update to your comments :)
> 
> LMAOOO those text messages got me CRYING and IM THE ONE WHO PUT THEM IN😂😂  
> Adora is serious down bad. (google 'down bad twitter' for more examples)
> 
> I’ve been DREAMING about this chapter ever since I started writing this story. The conflict was really fun to write.


	6. The Gig

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra keeps making mistake after mistake, but this time how will she forgive herself for giving in to temptation once more?
> 
> The sex is completely skippable (pls skip it’s not that good) but note that I will mention it in later chapters. Read chapter notes for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHECK CHAPTER 5 FOR A PICTURE OF THE SQUAD AT THE PARTY!
> 
> HERE IT IS HERE IT IS HERE IT IS!!!!  
> This chapter has COOCHIE on COOCHIE crime (a.k.a lesbian sex) so if you’re in it for JUST the plot (like not most people here), I put in dividers to indicate the sex scene! Keep a lookout for that if you’re not so keen on reading something NSFW or raunchy.  
> THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING!

Catra stopped Glimmer, grabbing her by the arm as she tried to leave. “Not you though,” she grinned.

As Glimmer turned around to face her, Catra leaned in close. “You and I are gonna have a little talk,” she whispered.

”What... what do you want?” Glimmer backed up worriedly. Catra was staring daggers into her. For being almost the same height, she was certainly more intimidating.

”Remember the deal we made at the party?” Catra walked around Glimmer, sizing her up. “I hope you didn’t forget... or go back on your word.”

Glimmer gulped, eyeing the nearest door. This was giving her all sorts of bad vibes. “Yeah, I remember.” What could Catra ever want that she could give? Money? No, she’s not the type for extortion. The possibilities wracked her mind with confusion, and it didn’t help that Catra was acting so... weird. “What do you want from me?”

”Nothing much,” Catra put a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder, causing her to let out a small yelp. “It’s not that bad,” Catra chuckled. “I just need a little help from you.”

Adora paced back and forth on the driveway, hands behind her back. She clenched her jaw. “Bow...”

Getting caught by Catra in her own house was the worst thing she could’ve done, and yet it happened. What would you even think when you go home and a bunch of people are already just there? I mean, she didn’t touch anything, but it’s common courtesy to leave as soon as possible in situations like these. Catra was already nice enough to let her stay the night.

Biting his nails, he didn’t reply. He seemed out of it. “Bow!” Adora had stopped walking. ”They’ve been in there for too long! What are they even talking about?” Adora groaned. “I knew it was a bad idea to stay there!”

”So why did you invite us here in the first place?!”

”I was hungover, okay?! I still am, no thanks to you.”

”Oh, you’re joking!” Bow threw his hands up in frustration. “Do you not remember all the fucking times I tried to stop your dumb ass from drinking? Or did those memories somehow disappear?”

”I don’t remember you doing any of that!”

”I’m the one who even got Catra to try to drag your sorry ass home at first. Then you had to go all ape shit on her!”

”That’s why she was there?”

”Duh, to take you home! You had too much to drink already, and then you went and passed out in the middle of the kitchen after telling her off.”

”Damnit,” Adora muttered under her breath. “I guess I did go a little crazy last night.”

”A little?” Bow snorted. “Yeah, sure. A little. Let’s just say that then.” He tapped his foot as he waited for Glimmer to come out the front door. “Fuck, they’re taking forever.”

”That’s what I said!”

He thought back to what Adora had told them back in Catra’s kitchen. It seemed like a good time as any to circle back to the conversation about... them. It was weird; the more time they spent together, the more complicated it got. “About you and Catra...” he started.

”What about us? I’ve told you everything already.”

”I’m sorry, but I don’t think she’ll forgive you after all of this.”

”Of course not,” she sighed. “I don’t even care if she forgives me or not. I want to apologize properly, but I feel like she won’t let me. I want her to know I’m sorry. That I regret hurting her.”

”Very mature of you,” Bow pat her on the back. “I’m sure both of you will move on sooner or later.”

”It took her four years to finally move on, and she’s right. I suddenly waltz back into her life and ruin it again?”

”Woah, woah, woah. It’s not your fault. It was just a coincidence that we all knew each other.”

”I know, but I still feel like an asshole. Maybe I should’ve left her alone.”

”Hey, you didn’t know that. Look, I’m not saying you’re completely clear, but you didn’t know things would’ve turned out this way. Yeah, you fucked up, but the past is the past.”

”Wow, thanks for the wake up call,” Adora chided.

”It’s up to Catra whether or not you guys ever talk again, but it’s not her obligation to try.”

”I never forgot her, you know?” Adora sighed, looking at the house. She didn’t visit much, but she still remembered most of it. “It hurt,” she glanced up at the window of Catra’s bedroom. “It hurt when I lost her, but I don’t...”

“I don’t regret going to Bright Moon.” Adora paused. Was she awful for thinking that? Why it felt so wrong to want to pursue her dream was something she couldn’t wrap her head around. “If only things were different during that summer-“ she bit her lip. “I wouldn’t be here like this.”

”Adora, you know that it’s not like that. The best you can do is work with what you have,” Bow rubbed the back of his neck. “You should think about what you can do better now. Not what you could’ve done then.”

”How can I do that when I don’t even know what I did in the past? How can I fix my mistakes when I don’t even know what I did so wrong?”

Bow looked at her speaking frantically. He didn’t have any more advice for her.

”Like,” Adora pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know I fucked up. I know I didn’t talk to her. I _know_ I ignored her texts, but she didn’t have to _cut me off!”_ she gestured wildly. “The issue I have with her is she’s telling me I left her, but I never did. I was always gonna be there, even if it didn’t look that way. I wasn’t planning on leaving her behind once I got to Bright Moon at all! I don’t even know how she got that idea in the first place.”

”All I can say to that...” Bow rubbed his chin. “Something else happened then.”

”What are you talking about?”

“You’re saying that she must’ve cut you off because of something else. She had to have seen you do something to be so angry.”

”What the hell would I have done? I don’t remember doing anything to make her ghost me.”

”You tell me. I wasn’t there.”

Adora froze in place, trying to muster up any thoughts that could explain Bow’s theory. “Nothing. I’ve got nothing,” she blanked out. “I can’t.”

”So if you want to know, you gotta talk to her. No more of the weird sexual tension you guys clearly have.”

Ignoring the last comment, Adora rolled her eyes. ”And how would I do that now?”

Bow sighed. He was tired of getting involved with their problems, but he needed to help his friend. He wanted to. “Keep trying.”

”You know she’s not like that.”

”If you really want to make things right, don’t give up. Don’t walk away.”

Staring at Bow, Adora searched for a response in her head, but none came. To be fair, she already was planning on trying until the very end, Bow’s words just cemented that. Encouraged her. “Thanks, Bow.”

”No problem. I know you’re a big dumb idiot.”

”Wow, thanks. I feel so much better now that you called me that.”

”You should go inside if Glimmer doesn’t show up after five more minutes.”

”Wait, why me?”

”Because I’m not trying to incur the wrath of Catra this morning.”

”What makes you think I’ll survive? She hates me the most of out of everyone in the group!”

”What? I never said you’d survive. You owe me anyway.”

”For what?”

”For trying to get you home! You almost bodyslammed me when I tried to pry that cup out of your hands,” Bow lied through his teeth.

”Really?”

”Yeah, really. You don’t think I’d remember that?”

“Fine, fine. But if neither of us comes out of the house-“

”Shut up, Adora.”

”No, you shut up.”

”We’re not fucking doing this.”

”Good.”

”Adora, stop trying to get the last word in.”

”I’m not.”

”Bitch, I swear to God...”

”I’m literally not!” Adora folded her arms and looked away in a huff.

“You’re crazy!” Glimmer sighed into her hand. “How would I even help you with that stupid plan?” She couldn’t believe Catra would even ask her that. Not in a million years would she even consider agreeing to that. It was easier to just leave, but _nooo,_ Catra just had to be so vindictive.

”Hey, at least let me finish.”

”It already sounds horrible. I don’t want any part in it.”

”Glimmer,” Catra hissed. “You promised me. We had a deal.” Her irritation grew exponentially. She didn’t like it when people backtrack or break their promises. “You agreed to it.”

”I didn’t know it’d like this! Look, I can’t just do that.” She’s rather do anything else than what Catra had asked her.

”Why? It’s not that big of a deal.”

”Not that big of a deal?” Glimmer repeated in a mocking tone. “It’s in fact, a very big deal.”

”Damn,” Catra groaned. “Can you at least let me finish explaining?” Maybe Glimmer wouldn’t be so adamant when she heard the rest of it.

”Fine.”

”You don’t even need to get involved in everything. I just need you to introduce me to someone.”

”What?”

”Do you know Netossa?” Catra leaned against the counter, holding herself up with a hand. “She’s from Bright Moon.”

”Netossa...?” Glimmer repeated the name under her breath to see if she remembered hearing it anywhere. “Netossa... wait, yeah, I do know her. We don’t talk to much though.”

”That’s fine. Get her to meet up with me tomorrow after school. I want to talk to her.”

”What? Talk to her about what? How do you even know her?” Glimmer had many questions, but those two were the biggest ones hanging in her head.

”It’s a secret,” Catra smiled, putting a finger to her lips. “Now, can I trust you to do that?”

”I... I can’t do this to Adora. Even playing a little part in whatever you have up your sleeve...” Catra didn’t outright tell Glimmer her plains, but she knew— felt something was off.

Sighing, Catra stood up, straightening her posture. “I really didn’t want to do this to you, Glimmer.”

”What are you talking about?”

”If you don’t set up that meeting, I’ll quit the band. I’ll leave. Be gone like the wind. You’re gonna have to find a new replacement for me.”

”You’re kidding me. The gig is a week away.”

”Glimmer, you think I’m playing games right now?” Catra scoffed. “Either do it or I walk. I don’t care.”

Glimmer clenched her hand, balling it up into a fist. She stood there for what felt like an eternity just staring at Catra. Neither of them made a move. Glimmer knew she was up to no good, but she had leverage over her. “I...” she muttered.

”What was that?” Catra put a hand behind her ear, leaning in to Glimmer. “Couldn't quite hear ya there,” she smirked. “Speak up a little, why don’t you?”

”Fine, I’ll do it. But you won’t hurt them though, right?”

”Aw,” Catra mocked. “It won’t sting too much... but no promises.”

”Glimmer!” Adora burst through the front door, ready for whatever she was expecting. “What’s the holdup?” She relaxed slightly when she saw them just ‘talking’.

”Um...” Glimmer started, but shut her mouth when she looked at Catra, who shot a quick glare from beside her. “She was just telling me about the band’s positions and stuff.”

Adora didn’t buy it, but let it go anyway. “Are you done now? Me and Bow were getting worried.”

”Yeah, we are,” Catra gave a light slap on the back to Glimmer. “Don’t forget about it now, Glitter. I’ve got high hopes for you.”

”...I’ll drive you home, Adora.”

”Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out,” Catra called from the kitchen as they left.

As soon as Adora thought they were out of earshot, she pulled Glimmer aside. “What were you guys talking about?”

Glimmer pursed her lips. “Did... did you not hear what I said? We were just talking about the band.” She felt awful keeping this from Adora, but she needed to. She hoped this wouldn’t come back to haunt her.

Adora sighed. “Fine, if that’s what you wanna tell me. Let’s just go then.”

The next day, they all meet up for practice. They pushed it back to Sunday instead of Saturday in case something happened at the party. Hangovers and the sorts. They were partially right. Glimmer fiddled with her guitar as she talked to Adora. Catra quickly slides in smoothly, wrapping an arm around Glimmer. “Hey there,” she grinned.

Adora crossed her arms. “What do you want, Catra?” she was surprised Catra even wanted to go near her, after well, you know. “Why are you all over Glimmer?” Under these circumstances, she’d be happy to see Catra, but not like this.

”What? I can’t say hi to my bestie?” Catra tilted her head, leaning it on Glimmer’s shoulder. She smiled to herself as she saw Adora get tense.

Adora flinched at the last word. “Look, can we talk? I’m sorry-“

”Sorry?” Catra cut her off. “You think ‘sorry’ just gives you a free pass for this shit? No thanks.”

”Can I just explain? I know I was an asshole, but I want to talk to you about it. I wasn’t myself that night.”

”Frankly, I don’t give a shit,” Catra replied curtly, letting go of Glimmer. “Beg all you want, but you already know my answer.”

Adora watched as Catra walked away, striding back to Scorpia. They continue talking, something they were doing before Catra came over for no apparently reason other than to antagonize her. _“God, she’s driving me crazy.”_ It took way too many brain cells that Adora didn’t have to try to even understand her. “Why is she like this?” Adora found herself saying it out loud.

”Don’t ask me. I’m as confused as you are,” Bow shrugged, walking over. “I’m surprised she’s even still here.”

”What are you talking about?”

”I mean, if I were her, I’d just leave. Quit the band. You know, avoid you at all costs.”

”Are you saying she’s planning something?”

”Nooo!” Glimmer pushed Bow away from Adora. “She’s just really nice.”

”Nice?” Adora scoffed. “Are you sure you’re talking about Catra?”

”Yes, I am,” Glimmer forced a smile. “I talked to her and she agreed to stay until after the gig. Then she said she was done with us... forever,” she quickly thought of a lie. Hopefully it was good enough for the two of them to buy it.

”Did you bribe her or something?” Bow chuckled. “Or maybe you somehow found dirt on her and blackmailed-“

”Bow, shut the fuck up!” Glimmer jabbed him. “Why the hell would I blackmail her? Are you stupid or what?”

”So it’s a bribe! Did you promise to give her sexual favors-“

”I’m going to kill you,” Glimmer groaned, walking towards the middle of the garage. “Let’s just get on with practice. I literally can’t stand you.”

”That wasn’t a no!” Bow called out.

As the song played out, Catra kept stopping mid-way to take off her clothes. First her jacket, then her sweater. What was left was her slightly revealing crop top. Glimmer let out a big sigh. “Are you gonna fucking take that off too?” she pointed to Catra’s top. “Why didn’t you do this earlier?”

Glimmer was a little on edge because the upcoming gig was getting closer and closer each day that passed. This honestly could be their make or break performance.

”I’m sorry that I can get _hot,_ princess. It’s like eighty degrees outside.”

”Then why the hell did you bring all of those clothes in the first place?” Glimmer threw her hands out in exasperation. Pausing every few seconds was getting to her... and the rest of the band.

”Didn't expect it to be so hot. Also, my eyes are up here,” Catra whistled, pointing up towards her face. “I’m surprised you’re getting mad about it.”

”Damnit, Catra!” Glimmer looked away.

Catra snickered as she put a hand on her hip. “Don’t worry, you’re not the only one staring,” she tipped her head towards Adora.

”What?” Adora said softly, not paying attention. “Are you talking to me?”

Catra didn’t answer and turned back to Glimmer. “See? Now, let’s get continue, yeah?” Playing around with Adora was thrilling to say the least. Catra knew all the things that ticked her off. All the buttons she needed to press to get the reactions she wanted. It was easy. Almost too easy for her. Catra wanted to get even; by all means possible. This was going to be a cake walk.

Catra dropped her guitar pick on the floor, bending down slowly as she went to pick it up. She heard Adora inhale a sharp breath as she did. “Oh, I’m so clumsy,” she called out. Catra stayed at the position a little too long before Bow cleared his throat. “Sorry, I’ll try to be more careful.”

She didn’t need to hold back anymore because she had nothing to lose. All she could do now was to have her fun with Adora.

A day later after school, Glimmer quickly packed up her things and went to rush out of class once the dismissal bell rang. Practically jumping out of her seat, she slung her bag over her shoulder when Bow stopped her. “Woah, where are you going in such a hurry?”

”I have to go meet up with someone. It’s important, so I really gotta go,” she ran in place. 

Bow quirked an eyebrow. He didn’t hear about any of this, but she was acting like it was really urgent. Her face screamed that if was life-or-death. Throughout the lesson, he noticed Glimmer getting more and more anxious as the clock ticked down. Fidgeting in her seat, eyes darting between the teacher and the clock on the wall... the works. She was expecting something, but he didn’t know what. “Will you be back soon?”

Glimmer sighed. “I’m sorry, but I’ll be busy for an hour or two.”

”Okay, me and Adora can just take the bus. See you later then.”

”Thanks, Bow,” Glimmer speed-walked out the classroom in a huff. She checked her phone when Catra sent her a reminder text. Anxiety built up as she picked up her speed towards the library. Holding herself back from bursting through the doors, she quickly scanned around. Once she found them, she rushed over to the table. “Netossa?” Glimmer slammed her hands on the table accidentally, startling the two. “Oh, sorry about that.”

”Wow, you look...” Netossa gave her a once-over. “Never mind. Anyway, what did you want again?” Glimmer had talked to her before school started, saying that she needed a favor. Netossa agreed, telling her to meet her at the library after school.

”Can we talk at the diner? Like, right now?”

”What diner?”

”The Crimson Waste. A friend said she really needed to talk to you there. It’s important.”

”I’m not sure I understand-“

”Please, I really need you to do this,” Glimmer begged. “I’ll drive you.”

”C’mon, Netossa,” Spinnerella poked her. “Glimmer sounds like she’s gonna lose it if you don’t.”

”Fine, fine.” Netossa got up, prompting Spinerella to do the same. Glimmer didn’t have the time or energy to tell her only Netossa was supposed to come. She led them towards the parking lot where her car was. Ushering the two in, she quickly jumped inside afterwards.

Catra drummed her fingers against the table as she waited impatiently for her expected company. Octavia stopped by to hand off her milkshake. She didn’t stay because Catra looked like she wasn’t in the mood for any small talk. Or any talk at all. Her eyes shot to the door as it jingled for the umpteenth time. She let out a big sigh as she saw Glimmer walk through the door with Netossa... and an extra person.

When they approach, Catra put down her cup. “I asked you to bring Netossa, so what the hell is this?”

”Wow, she’s real nice,” Spinerella quipped.

”Ugh, don’t mind her. She’s had a rough week.”

The three took their seats opposite of Catra, seeing as she took up half the booth by sprawling her legs on her seat. “Netossa,” Catra started. “I have a little proposition for you.”

”That doesn’t sound good, but sure. Shoot.”

“Be my fake girlfriend for two days,” Catra replied bluntly.

Taken aback by how straightforward the stranger was, Netossa did a double take. “You want me to do what now?”

”Be my fake girlfriend,” Catra looked out the window unbothered.

 _”Is she serious? She’s acting like she didn’t just drop a bomb.”_ Netossa shot a look at Glimmer, who in turn shrugged. “For what? And why me?”

”Well, ‘cause I know you have a girlfriend. Can’t have people falling for me now, you get me? You’re the only person I can really think of that’d fit.”

”What? How’d you know I had a girlfriend?”

”Wait, you have a girlfriend?” Glimmer gasped. “Who? Since when?”

”They were making out at the party, you dingus,” Catra crossed her legs, twirling her hair afterwards. “In the middle of the dance floor and all.

”Okay, I didn’t see that.”

”I can tell.”

”I told you we had to be careful at the party!” Spinnerella sighed.

”Fine, you caught us. So what? Why do you even want me to be your fake girlfriend?”

”I just wanna play a small prank on my _friend,”_ Catra emphasized ‘friend’, saying it harshly. “Just some jokes, and this would really surprise her.”

”Wait, that’s what you’re planning with Adora?”

Spinnerella spoke up after Glimmer added that little comment. “Wait, this is a prank on Adora? I’ll do it!”

”Really?” Catra smirked. “Great! I’ll text you the details later today. Here’s my number,” she scribbled the digits on the napkin beside her. Sliding it towards Spinnerella, she found herself smiling a little too much. “I’ll see you later, _girlfriend.”_

Catra leaves almost immediately in a slightly happier mood, probably because she had something to do. When she’s outside, Glimmer turned her head to Spinnerella. “What do you even have against Adora?”

”What? Nothing, it’s just a prank like your friend said. I’m just getting payback for when Adora spilled her water on me. It’s not that serious.”

”Yeah, what are you getting so worked up over? It sounds pretty funny,” Netossa brushed Glimmer off. “That’s all, right? Me and Spinny have to finish up our project after catching the bus back to campus.”

“Yeah, that was it. Thanks for coming...” Glimmer couldn’t even tell them if she wanted to. They were already out the door. Sighing, she stared at the table. _“Fuck, I think I know what she wants,”_ Glimmer rubbed her hands. It was a stretch, but not a long one. It was obvious that Adora was interested in Catra, and Catra knew that. She was gonna toy with Adora. Play with her feelings.

The worst part was that she set this part of the plan up, and she couldn’t stop it. Adora was going to get burned, just as bad as Catra. This wasn’t good. Things weren’t supposed to turn out this way. With no one to confide in, she mulled over it alone.

Spinnerella nodded along to her music as she waited at the coffee shop the next morning. School started later today because of a staff meeting. She didn’t notice Catra trudge in through the double doors. The cashier greeted her to not get a reply. Chair giving a little screech when pulled out, Catra slumped on it. “I’m gonna break up with you for this.”

”I’m sorry, but I have a curfew. I’m only free during the mornings.”

”A curfew? How old are you again?”

”Hey, I have strict parents,” she lowered her music’s volume, looking at Catra. The girl was noticeably very tired. She looked like she was about to pass out at any second. “You want some of my coffee? You look like you need it,” Spinnerella offered.

”No, I just need a few minutes... or hours to wake up. I’m fine. Thanks anyway,” she waved her hand, declining. “Anyway, let’s talk before time runs out.”

”Sure, where do you want to start?”

”If we wanna convince her that we’re actually dating, we gotta go over a few things. How about PDA?”

”Oh, I already talked to Netossa about this. She’s fine with anything other than sex.”

”I’m not gonna fuck you to prank Adora.”

”Just wanted to make sure,” Spinnerella giggled, taking a sip of her coffee. “Do you want to act all lovey-dovey? Or did you have something else in mind?”

”That added in with a little spice. I know Adora wants me so fucking bad. I catch her staring at my ass all the time.”

”Oh, really? It’ll be easy to make her jealous then.”

”But I wanna make her _really_ jealous.”

Unsure of Catra’s sudden shift in tone, Spinnerella ignored it. “Um, okay. I’m cool with that.”

”By the way, you’re free on Saturday around twelve, right?”

”Yeah, what’s up?”

”And you can drive?”

”Yes...?”

”Great!” Catra clapped her hands together. “Can you give me a ride to Glimmer’s place then? We have practice that day, and I want Adora to see you drop me off.”

”Okay, I can do that. Is that all? I remember you said you needed me for a few days.”

”I have a gig on Sunday. I think dedicating my performance to you will get a rise out of Adora. I’ll say you’re my date too.”

”Oh, Netossa loves concerts! Can she come with?”

”Sure, I don’t mind.”

“By the way, what’s your name again?”

”...Catra. We need to go over the basics, huh?”

Spinerella weakly smiled. “Yeah, I guess we should’ve thought about that earlier. I’m Spinnerella, but Netossa calls me Spinny,” she held her hand out towards Catra.

”Spinny? Sounds good. Call me whatever you think will make Adora jealous,” Catra shook her hand in good faith.

”How about hotcakes?”

”What the fuck?” Catra was taken aback. “Hell no! Out of all the nicknames, you pick _that?”_

”Hey, I’m not good at these types of things. How about love? Like, how are you, my love?”

”Are you British now?”

”God, you’re making this unnecessarily hard.”

”Just keep it simple, maybe-“

”Cat?” Spinerella shrugged. “That’s pretty cute for a nickname, right?”

”...No,” Catra facepalmed. “Never. Never Cat. My name is two syllables for Christ’s sakes.”

”Fine.” Sighing, Spinerella perked up after thinking for a moment. “How’s honey?”

”Are we married? Ugh, just call me babe. Short and simple. That nickname drives Adora crazy.”

“Oh, speak of the devil. She’s here right now,” Spinerella broke eye contact and looked outside the window in front of her.

Sure enough, Adora passed by the shop’s window and was about to enter. Catra gasped and leaned over the table, quickly grabbing Spinerella by the collar. “Quick, make out with me!”

”What?! Mmph-“ Spinerella was surprised, but still played her role. She wrapped her arms around Catra, tilting her head to get a better angle. Shockingly, Catra was a really good kisser. She opened one eye to see if Adora was looking.

Adora was looking. She was looking alright, gawking really. Her face looked like someone had just told her that her whole family burned in a fire. Jaw dragging on the floor, she stomped over to the two, interrupting their little ‘moment’. Adora pulled them apart forcibly. “Hey!”

”What the fuck?” Catra hissed. She knew Adora would get jealous, mad even, but not _this_ angry. “What’s your fucking deal?”

“What are you doing with Spinerella?!” Adora found herself yelling. Something about seeing those two together flipped a switch inside of her. She was mad. Jealous? No, no way. There’s no way she was jealous, even if she wished she were in Spinerella’s shoes. Wait, that’s envy.

”What do you think, idiot?” Catra scrunched her face up. Seeing Adora get mad over her was therapeutic, but she couldn’t show it. “I was kissing her.”

“Why?”

”What, I can’t kiss my girlfriend now?” Catra crossed her arms.

”Girlfriend?!” Adora widened her eyes. “She’s your girlfriend?! Since when?” She definitely did _not_ hear about this. Her heart dropped as soon as she heard the news. No, no, Catra can date whoever she wanted. It wasn’t her business, right? Then why did she feel this way?

”Since yesterday,” Catra chuckled. It wasn’t exactly a lie. It was more of a half-lie. She lifted up her hand a traced a finger along Adora’s lips. “And she’s a better kisser than you.”

Jumping back in surprise, Adora wiped her lips with a sleeve. “Wait, you two kissed?” Spinnerella turned to Catra. Those two carried more emotional baggage than she expected. There was definitely more to this prank.

”Don’t worry about that, Spinny,” Catra hushed, still focused on Adora. “I only have eyes for you.”

“Oh, right!” Spinerella regained her composure, something Adora was currently struggling to do. “The past doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you’re with me now, babe.”

 _”Babe?!”_ Adora internally screamed. Catra using pet names for people was one thing, but she never, _never_ let anyone give her one. She didn’t even like nicknames, for God’s sakes! “Wha...” Adora stammered out. “But...” There were too many questions to even remotely ask. Though ‘Why her?’ was the glaring one.

”Oh, look at the time,” Catra gestured towards the wall clock. “I’ll walk you to school now. I’ll be later my class if we don’t leave now,” she held out her hand, which Spinnerella graciously took. Lacing their fingers together, Catra guided her to the door. “After you, my love.”

Spinnerella shot her a glare as she walked past. “You said that was a bad nickname!” she whispered. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

“It’s better if I use it,” Catra winked. She didn’t even need to look back to confirm whether or not she knocked Adora off her feet. She felt it. And boy, did it feel fucking great.

Adora continued standing at the deserted table shell-shocked, up until Bow and Glimmer walk in. What just happened? They approach cheerfully. “Hey, you got us a table already?” Bow clasped his hand on Adora’s shoulder. He leaned in to look at her face, and was surprised to see her so... pale. “Adora?”

”Whats wrong?” Glimmer sat her down. “You look like you saw a ghost or something.”

”Did... did you know Catra and Spinnerella were _dating?”_ Adora gripped the table with an iron claw. “I just saw them kiss!”

Bow was definitely surprised, but Glimmer wasn’t. She was mortified instead. “Wait, Catra... and who now?” Bow recited. He wanted to make sure he heard right.

“Catra and Spinnerella are dating!” Adora slammed her fist on the table. “Can you believe that?

“Oh, good joke!” Bow slapped his knee. “You got me for a second there...” he trailed off as he saw Adora frown. “Oh my God,” he muttered. “You’re being serious?”

”Why the hell would I joke about that?”

”It sounded like a bad lie, okay?”

“Glimmer, did you know?” Adora eyed her, suspicious of her reaction... or lack thereof. “That they were a thing?”

”No, no,” Glimmer waved her off. “I was just thinking about how they got together in the first place.”

”Right?” Bow huffed. “Out of everyone, I didn’t expect... you know.”

“What does that mean?”

”Like, Catra and Glimmer dating sounds more realistic. I mean, I’m just surprised she even _knows_ Spinnerella in the first place.”

”Why the fuck would I date her?!”

”Im just saying the probability of you two getting together is more believable than fucking Catra and _Spinnerella.”_

“What about me and Catra?” Adora cut in.

Cackling, Bow buckled down to catch his breath. “Oh my God!” he held his stomach, barely getting the words out through his laughter. “You? And Catra?!”

”What?!”

”In your fucking dreams! I'm ninety-nine percent sure she’d rather date me than even hug you.”

”Damnit, Bow!”

Three days pass by like a flash. They all went through school like usual, not worrying about the band until their usual practice. It was something to do to wind down after a long week, but not now. This was their last practice session... probably forever, considering the circumstances of everyone. The gig was tomorrow night, and the band was rightfully very, very anxious. The group planned to crunch their session hour into a bit longer one. Things couldn’t go wrong now. They can’t.

So explain why Glimmer was have a nervous breakdown in her own garage, sweating bullets. She paced back and forth, fidgeting. “Scorpia, where the hell is Catra?” she spat out. “She’s late!”

”Glimmer, it’s only been ten minutes,” Scorpia tried to reassure her. “I’m sure she’ll be here soon. We still have time.”

”Time?! The gig is tomorrow, we need every second we can get for practice! What if things go wrong? What if something happens?”

”Woah,” Bow stopped Glimmer, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Slow down. We’ve already put in hours of practice, this is just a plus. It’ll be fine.”

”Yeah, look, that’s gotta be her pulling in the driveway right now,” Adora pointed. The four instantly turn their heads towards the direction.

”Wait, that’s not her car,” Scorpia sounded unsure. Catra hadn’t told her about any of this. She for sure didn’t know why she was late.

“That’s... Spinnerella’s,” Bow looked at Adora. He had recognized the car from the school’s parking lot; he saw her use it multiple times by now. “I guess she got a ride from her.”

 _”Spinnerella?”_ Scorpia quirked a brow. She was really left in the dark now.

Spinnerella got out of the car first, circling around to open the door for Catra after grabbing the guitar case from the back seat. She led her out with a hand, then wrapping an arm around Catra’s waist as they approached the group. Glimmer groaned, sliding her hand down her face. “Catra! You’re late! Do you remember the gig is tomorrow?”

Catra chuckled, leaning her head on Spinnerella’s shoulder. “Sorry, we had a little fun this morning. Must’ve forgot the time, you know?” she teased, winking at Adora.

”Okay, gross. I didn’t need to know that. Anyway, come on, we needed to start like yesterday.”

”Chill, sparkletits. I’m not going anywhere. We have time.”

”Sparkletits? I’d rather you fucking call me Glitter. No, anything. Anything other than that abomination that just came out of your mouth. I’m begging you.”

”Can I watch you play, babe?” Spinnerella planted a kiss on Catra’s cheek, and grinned when she swore she heard Adora pop a vein.

 _”Okay, this is getting freakin’ ridiculous,”_ Adora had to turn away before she got even more worked up. It was very, very annoying to see someone she didn’t know— someone other than her getting all touchy-feely with Catra. She knew it wasn’t her place, but she couldn’t help but be so, so jealous.

”Of course you can,” Catra set the guitar case down the couch, setting it up. She worked a little faster considering the time constraint though. Everyone else watched as they waited for her to finish. When she finally did, things started rolling. Even with the tension, the band played together like nothing happened. Like everything was easily forgotten; their only priority at the moment was giving their best performance.

Spinnerella was genuinely impressed, unable to peel her eyes away. She didn’t expect an amateur band to sound so organized nor so... good. She really was a proud, fake girlfriend.

After the song, Catra quickly put away her instrument and made a beeline towards Spinnerella, who was sitting on the couch. She tried her best not to interrupt or stand out so she wasn’t a nuisance. Catra hopped on the unsuspecting girl, promptly landing on her lap. On instinct, Spinnerella’s hand shot to both Catra’s thighs and back to steady her. “Jesus!” she had to catch her breath from the sudden jump.

”Did you like my performance, Spinny?” Catra smirked, wrapping her arms around Spinnerella.

”It was really good. Your voice is so sexy,” she leaned in, putting their faces close together.

Scorpia couldn’t help but stare at the very uncomfortable scene in front of her. Her eyes were wide open, as well as her mouth. “Um... Catra... can we talk?”

”Hm?” Catra looked away from her girlfriend for a moment. “Sure, what’s up?”

”Privately?”

Sighing, Catra got up from her seat and followed Scorpia outside the garage. “Yes?” she crossed her arms.

”Care to tell me what the hell is going on?”

”Oh, don’t worry,” Catra waved her off dismissively. “I’ve got it handled. I’m fine.”

”That’s not what I asked—“ Scorpia paused. “What’s going on with you and that girl?”

”She’s in on it too.”

”In on what?! You’re not helping.” Every single answer so far raised tons of more questions.

”I’m just having a little fun with Adora,” Catra winked. “It’s going swimmingly, mind you.”

”You’re playing with Adora? Come on, Catra. That’s...”

”You know nothing’s too low for me,” she chuckled, ending with an uneven smile.

”Nothing good is gonna come out of this, Catra. Why can’t you just let her go? Leave her, for God’s sakes. Forget about her. It’s better if you just move on.”

”Why do I have to be the only one who gets burned?” Catra grit her teeth. “And she’ll get off scot free? Hell no. I’m giving her a taste of her own medicine.”

Scorpia pursed her lips, unsure of how to handle Catra. She was always reckless, yet this plan of hers seemed to trump the rest of them. As much as Catra wanted revenge, it wasn’t worth it. She’s just gonna get hurt more. “Catra...”

”Just let me do this one thing. Look, I asked Spinnerella to give us rides home. I don’t wanna impose on her anymore. If you want to talk, let’s do it later.”

”Fine. You promise?”

”Yeah, yeah.”

Catra and Scorpia walked back to the group, but everyone can tell they were talking about something serious. Catra’s demeanor changed, but quickly switched back when she returned to Spinnerella. “Ready to go now?”

”Yup.”

”Well, good practice, my dear friends,” Catra scoffed. “I’m gonna go spend the rest of the day with my loving girlfriend.”

Scorpia cringed when she saw Catra peck Spinnerella on the lips. This was something completely out of pocket, but she couldn’t do anything but let it happen. She begrudgingly got in the car with the two, leaving as confused as everyone else.

As soon as they drove off, Adora quickly turned to Bow and Glimmer. “Did you see that?”

”See what?”

”Them! Catra and Spinnerella acting that way with each other.”

”They seemed pretty normal to me,” Bow shrugged.

”No, no, no,” Adora shook her head. “You don’t get it. Catra _never_ acts that way. Well, not with anyone other than me.”

”Okay, that was a weird comment. But have you ever seen her date someone?”

”No, but still! That’s not her. Like, all these years I’ve known her, she’s never done whatever the hell that was.”

”People can change, Adora,” Bow sighed. “I don’t know why you’re getting so worked up about it. Maybe she likes being all touchy now.”

”No way. You gotta believe me. The only person she let get that close to her was me.”

”Did you forget the part where Spinnerella is her _girlfriend?_ Of course she’s gonna let her girlfriend get close to her. Adora, your jealousy is really showing right now, and it ain’t a good look.”

“Okay, fine, I might be a little jealous. That’s only because we promised each other that we didn’t need anyone other than ourselves.”

”God, the more you tell me about your past with Catra, the weirder it gets,” Bow scratched his head. “Next you’re gonna tell me you guys showered together.”

”Well...” Adora looked away shyly.

”Goddamnit, Adora. Did you do everything together?” Glimmer couldn’t help but join in.

”I thought that was normal?”

”Are you stupid? You don’t see me showering with any of my friends. I don’t even shower with Bow.”

”What about sleepovers? You did that too, right?” Adora stammered, looking for a way out. She didn’t know what she did with Catra was something so uncommon.

”Okay, that sounds pretty normal. Yeah, I’ve had sleepovers before with like three or four other girls.”

”Wow, didn’t your bed get cramped? Or do you have like a double king-sized bed?”

“What?”

”I mean, if you’re gonna have at least three people sharing a bed-“

”Adora...” Glimmer groaned. “They slept on the floor. What the fuck are you talking about?”

”Oh, no...”

”You shared a bed with Catra? You know damn well ‘friends’ absolutely do not do that.”

”Huh? But what would you hug at night then?”

”Say what now?” Bow was idly staring at the wall, but was snapped back to reality when he processed what the two were bickering on about. “Man, you guys were definitely dating back then.”

”No we weren’t!” Adora tried to deny it. “We were just best friends.”

”I don’t know how to break it to you, Adora, but... you’re gay as fuck. ‘Best friends’ don’t shower together. They don’t kiss on the regular, and they sure as hell don’t cuddle each other!”

”Give me a break, Glimmer,” Adora sighed into a hand. “We weren’t dating! I don’t know how many damn times I even have to tell you this.”

”Okay, fine. You guys weren’t dating. I get it, but you two were definitely more than best friends.”

”So you’re saying I actually had a chance with her? I just ruin everything, don’t I?”

”You got that right. I can’t believe you guys never realized that. Like it never struck you as, I don’t know, weird to be doing strangely intimate things with your friend?”

”Well, we were close ever since we were really young. We didn’t really think about those things. Catra was just Catra to me, and I’m sure she felt the same.”

”We’ll never know now,” Bow shrugged.

”Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

”You know damn well what I meant.”

Scorpia rapped her fingers on the door, giving it a few knocks. She was holding Melog once more, and felt a strange, strong sense of deja vu. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it though. Shrugging off the thoughts, she called out from the other side of Catra’s bedroom door. “The gig’s in a few hours, Wildcat! We’re gonna be late if you don’t get up now.” Scorpia had trouble wrapping her head around Catra’s sleep schedule. How could someone still not be awake at two in the afternoon?

She knocked again when Catra didn’t reply. She tried the doorknob, but it was locked tight. Well, why wouldn’t it be in the first place? “Wake up!” she groaned. This was an important day, being late would be very, very bad.

The doorknob rattled as she tried again. Luckily, she heard Catra shuffle out of bed from outside and stomp her way towards the door. “Finally! I was worried there for a sec- woah,” Scorpia took a step back. “Are... are you okay?”

”No, I fucking had four hours of sleep. Of course I’m not okay,” Catra swept her bangs back, but they easily fall back down. “Don’t act like you don’t look like shit when you wake up too.”

”I won’t deny that, but... yikes, look at yourself, Wildcat.”

”Trust me, I know how bad I look from how awful I’m feeling right now. Just... just give me a few to get ready. Oh, and do me a favor while you’re at it,” Catra rummaged through her closet for an outfit. “Can you make me some breakfast? Or lunch? Whatever food for what time it is, I don’t know,” she rambled.

”Uh... sure. I’ll get on to that.”

The shower knob gave a little squeak when Catra turned it on. She didn’t wait for the water to warm up before jumping in; the cold water will wake her up. You gotta sacrifice some things for the greater good. She flinched when the water hit her skin, shivering a little. “Wow, I fucking love being miserable,” Catra muttered.

Once done with her shower, she quickly got to work on her hair with a blow drier. She brushed it as it slowly loss its wetness and dried off. It was a long process, but she’d rather die than look like shit in front of others. Catra glanced at the mirror before hearing Scorpia call her from the hallway. “Food’s ready. You’ll only have a few to eat though before we leave for the bar.”

”Yeah, yeah,” Catra replied. “Thanks.” She walked back into her room, looking for the clothes she left on her bed. They weren’t anything special; just the same thing she’d wear normally. She eyed her closet for a jacket, but promptly decided on her favorite letterman jacket. Joining Scorpia in the kitchen, Catra nonchalantly grabbed the sandwich left on the counter. “Couldn’t make anything else?” she joked.

”Nope. At least it’s fast to eat. Hope you don’t mind that I made myself one too.”

”It’s cool,” Catra nodded. Her body was slowly adjusting to the daytime. Taking a bite, she looked at Scorpia, who was already staring at her. “What is it now?”

”So about that talk...”

”Oh, come on. Can’t a girl eat in peace?”

“You promised me we’d talk. So, about your horrible idea...”

”It’s not horrible. I don’t know what you mean. Why can’t you just live a little?”

”I don’t think ‘living a little’ includes manipulating someone.”

”Manipulating?” Catra almost spat out the bits of food she had in her mouth. “Woah, that’s a little extreme there.”

”What else would describe whatever the hell you’re planning, Wildcat?”

”Payback? Please, you’re making this out to be worse than it really is. I thought you’d be on my side for this.”

”I am! I’m always on your side! That’s why I really don’t want you to do this anymore. The more you think about her, the more hurt you’re gonna get.”

”Hurt? Do I fucking look hurt to you?” Catra pointed her sandwich towards a confused Scorpia.

”Uh... kind of?”

”I’m just fucking peachy,” Catra snorted. “I’m having the time of my damn life.”

”Look, I just think it’s better to drop her...”

”That’s the plan, dork. You think I’m gonna stick around after this? Hell no!”

”That’s not what I meant,” Scorpia crossed her arms.

”Just let me do this. I’m gonna leave right after, just as you said. Easy. Nothing else, I promise.”

”You’re really not getting it, huh?”

Sighing, Catra set her food down. “Come on, you gotta agree with me here. Why the hell should she be able to just play with me— and I’d just let her?”

”I know you’re mad—“

”Damn right I am.”

”—but trust me. Avoid her as much as you can. You don’t want a repeat of before.”

”You’re saying I’d make the same mistake? Fuck off.”

Scorpia raised a brow.

”No way. Who do you think I am?”

“Catra.”

”That’s me.”

”No, Catra-“

”Yes?”

”Can you just listen to me for once?” This time, Scorpia was unexpectedly more assertive. Usually she was a listener; an advice-giver. Someone who was a passive supporter. “I know you’re just gonna do whatever you want, but take this warning first. I’m telling you straight up that you will _not_ have a good time doing this. You will _not_ feel better, trust me. You’ll get a sense of relief after, but it won’t solve anything long term. So, these are my last words for you on this matter.”

Catra gulped at Scorpia’s sudden change of vibes. She was drastically serious. More serious than she’d ever seen.

”Don’t do this to yourself. I’m not worried about Adora getting hurt. Shit, I couldn’t care less about her. This is all for you. So please, think about what I’m trying to say. This will only end badly for you.” Pausing, Scorpia took a long, deep breath. She turned away from Catra. “Let’s go now.”

The ride to the bar was anything but awkward. Scorpia tried her best to make small talk; it was better to not dwell over drama with Catra, yet conversation still felt a little stilted. Both made an effort to move on, but the talk from earlier couldn’t leave their minds no matter how hard they tried. Once they made it inside with their instruments, Catra made a teasing comment. “Wow, I figured you guys were desperate for a gig, but your uncle’s bar? Really?”

”Hey, it was all I could get. At least we’ll have an audience.”

Catra snickered. “Yeah, some audience.” The bar was quite run-down. All the profits were effectively turned over to even maintain the place. Upgrades and knick-knacks were out of the question. There were still a lot of loyal customers though, even if it confused the hell out of Catra. It was ratty, disgusting, dank... but nonetheless homey. A place you mark as your go-to. The friends you’d make her made up for the appearance.

Scorpia’s uncle spotted them walking in and left the counter, ducking under the little gate that separated the bar from the rest of the joint. He welcomed them with a big smile and hug— something that seemed to run in their family. “Oh, you guys made it! Great, your friends are waiting for you backstage.”

”Thanks again for letting us perform.”

”It’s no problem, I’m sure the folks will enjoy the change from the old jukebox. I’ll catch you later.”

Catra stepped on the stairs leading backstage, bumping into an unsuspecting... Entrapta? “Huh?” Catra tilted her head. “Entrapta? What are you doing here?”

”Oh, heya, Catra! Good to see you. I’m just fiddling with the sound systems. They asked me to check for any problems and what-not. It’s going well so far.”

”I thought you weren’t interested in music.”

”Not particularly,” Entrapta hummed, still messing with the stereos. “But it is interesting to see the tech behind it, yes?”

”Yeah, sure...”

”Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair in just a few minutes. I have a lab to finish up tonight. Say, have you ever seen the inside of a speaker?”

”Fuck no. Anyway, I’m gonna go meet up with Bow and Glimmer. It was nice seeing you, I guess.”

”Likewise. Goodbye to you too, Scorpia!” she waved enthusiastically.

“Bye, Entrapta. See you tomorrow.”

Glimmer perked up when she saw Catra and Scorpia walk up to them. “Good, you guys are here on time. That’s a relief.”

”Cool, you have no faith in us,” Catra scoffed.

”You were late to practice!”

”That was literally once and I was only like ten minutes late.”

”Hey, late is late. Now that you’re here, Scorpia, can you help Bow carry the speakers to the front of the stage once Entrapta is done messing with them?”

”Yes, ma’am.”

Adora approached Catra, hands shoved in pockets. “Catra...” she called out. “Do you have time to talk?”

”No, I have to set up, you idiot. Now leave me alone,” Catra bent down, opening her guitar case in a hasty manner.

”Oh, right. Sorry, I figured it was a bad time.”

 _”You think?”_ Catra ignored her and continued setting up. She barely lifted her guitar out from its case when Adora strikes up conversation again.

”But can we talk after?”

“Let me think...” Catra pretended to ponder the question, rubbing her chin in the progress. “No.”

 _”Okay, a simple ‘no’ would’ve sufficed, but you just had be like this?”_ Adora sighed. “Please, I just want to-“

”Adora, stop standing around. You still need to tune your bass!” Glimmer pulled her away. “We don’t have time for you to just sit there.”

”Yeah, my bad.”

Catra shook her head in slight irritation as she returned to minding her own business. The rest of the group continued setting up and preparing for their big moment. Weeks and weeks were poured into this one night. Time passes by fast when you need it most. A strange and annoying phenomenon. Glimmer fidgeted in anticipation while Bow stood there completely frozen. Stage fright was already getting to them and they haven’t even gotten on stage yet.

Each step they took made them tense up even more. What if they fucked up? What if something went wrong with the sound? Or their instruments? What if the audience didn’t like their performance? So many things could happen, yet they wouldn’t know until the exact moment. As they approach the stage, they took in the sight. The bar looked immensely different from the new angle. Most patrons didn’t notice them, but a few did. They stare in curiosity as Catra took the mic, clearing her throat. It was now or never.

”Heeey,” Catra nervously called out. “What’s up, guys? You know me, right?” More heads were turned towards the band. “Well, that’s weird. Imagine recognizing a minor at a damn bar. The owner must be outta his mind to allow that typa shit,” she joked. A few crowds erupt into laughter. The rest of the band thanked Catra mentally for taking the stand and being the voice of the group. “So me and my little garage band decided to write this song here. I hope you guys like it.”

Catra didn’t know what else to say, so why not just skip straight to the performance? The bar patrons cheered her on for support; something she appreciated. “Oh, but before I start, I’d like to dedicate this performance to my dear girlfriend, whom I love very much.” She winked into the crowd, meeting Spinnerella’s eyes. Some people whoop and holler at the comment, though Adora just seemed agitated. “Anyway, let’s get it over with. The tip jar’s at the counter, by the way.”

She nods over to Bow, who clicked his drumsticks together twice immediately after. Adora, Glimmer, and Scorpia stand idly as they wait for their entrance to come. Catra on the other hand, the main focus, played like no one was there to judge her.

_Hey, baby won't you look my way_

Catra glanced over at Adora while singing the verse, smiling as she saw that she was watching her with the same dumb, blank face she always had.

_I can be your new addiction_

_Hey, baby what you gotta say?_

_All you're giving me is fiction_

She frowned, but continued on as the lyrics hit a little too close to home. Adora played her like a damn fiddle; yet all Catra wanted was her.

  
_I'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the time_

How many times would she get hurt trying to have things go back to normal? She stepped closer towards Adora— something that wasn’t in the performance. She took each step in pride.

_I found out that everybody talks_

_Everybody talks, everybody talks_

There were too many damn people trying to get in the way. They were getting involved in business that weren’t their own. Catra smirked as she saw Adora visibly tense up.

_It started with a whisper_   
_And that was when I kissed her_   
_And then she made my lips hurt_   
_I could hear the chit chat_

Kissing Adora at the beach was one of the biggest mistakes she’d ever made. To make things worse, she knew everybody was talking about it. She knew everybody had found out.

  
_Take me to your love shack_   
_Mamas always gotta back track_   
_When everybody talks back_

It was strange how Adora always said one thing, yet acted a completely different way when confronted.

_Hey, honey you could be my drug_   
_You could be my new prescription_

  
_Too much could be an overdose_   
_All this trash talk make me itchin'_

When would it stop? When would all the arguing, the fights, everything finally fucking stop? Walking away proved to be useless, yet actively participating makes everything worse. What other option did she have?

  
_Oh my my_   
_Everybody talks, everybody talks_   
_Everybody talks, too much_

She had enough. Peace of mind was a dream at this point. Why was everything so damn complicated? So fucking difficult? It irked her to her very core. Catra paused, and so did the band. They rehearsed for this moment. She stood there, huffing for air as she glared at Adora. This song was about her, and her alone. Bow sent out a cue by clicking his drumsticks together once more. Catra broke out in song, this time her vocals were much more stronger.

_It started with a whisper_   
_And that was when I kissed her_   
_And then she made my lips hurt_   
_I could hear the chit chat_

  
_Take me to your love shack_   
_Mamas always gotta back track_   
_When everybody talks back_

_Never thought I'd live t_ _o see the day_  
 _When everybody's words got in the way_

Miscommunication was always a problem, but even proper communication can cause much more. Catra closed her eyes and swayed along to her guitar solo. She tilted her head back, digging deep inside her memories to bring out her signature sound of melancholy— one that gave her character. The crowd cheered on as she plucked sounds that had meaning.

_Hey, sugar show me all your love_   
_All you're giving me is friction_

Catra’s voice lowered to a sultry, low tone. The lyrics were a plea. The air between the two girls was heavy. Every second they maintained eye contact heightened the pressure. Her voice faltered a little, but she quickly snapped out of it.

_Hey, sugar what you gotta say?_

She winced inside as what she’d hope for was just that. A hope. Picking up the tempo, she brought back the borderline shouting. Catra finally found it in herself to turn away, shutting her eyes tight. This was her talent; the skill she honed for so long just to remind herself of the past.

_It started with a whisper_   
_And that was when I kissed her_   
_And then she made my lips hurt_   
_I could hear the chit chat_

  
_Take me to your love shack_   
_Mamas always gotta back track_   
_When everybody talks back_

_Everybody talks, everybody talks_   
_Everybody talks, everybody talks_   
_Everybody talks, everybody talks back_

_It started with a whisper_   
_And that was when I kissed her_

_Everybody talks, everybody talks back_

They finished the song off with a bang— crowd clearly liking the song. It was a relief to have so many people cheer you on after worrying they wouldn’t. Catra gripped her guitar’s neck, huffing and puffing from putting her all out on that performance. She didn’t take her eyes off Adora. While the rest of the band sighed in relief, the two weren’t done just yet.

Though Catra wasn’t one for finishing what she started. All that mattered was that she got the last word in, and Adora seemed to get the message. Catra glanced at the crowd, laughing to herself at what she saw. Adora caught wind, taking a look herself. Her eyes widened at the sight of Spinnerella and Netossa kissing... on the lips.

Snapping her head towards Catra, she opened her mouth to say something, but stopped short when Catra just grinned at her. She wasn’t angry. She was just strangely satisfied. Her head was tilted up high, as if urging Adora to do something. Not waiting for a reaction, Catra quickly turned around and made her way backstage. Adora tried to follow, but was intercepted by Bow enveloping her in a big hug, picking her up.

”We did it!” he squeezed her. “We finally did it!”

”That’s great and all, but-“

”We sounded so damn good, right?” Glimmer smiled widely, greatly relieved that everything went well. “Thanks for saving our asses, Adora.”

”Come on, Catra helped too,” Bow cut in. “She’s the damn lead singer!”

”Okay, I guess she was pretty cool.”

”Man, what do you have against her?”

”I complimented her, I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”

”This is great and all, guys,” Adora pushed Bow gently away, making space between her and the other two. “But I have to go check on something really quick.”

”Can it wait? We still have to clean up and shit. Not to mention celebrate!”

Giving a tight-lipped smile, Adora tried her best to leave politely. “It’s really important.”

”I bet it’s Catra.”

”God, can you leave her alone for once?” Glimmer groaned. “You’ve been chasing after her the moment you set eyes on her.”

”This time’s different. This might be the last time I see her.”

”Fine, go. Go leave your dear friends for a damn girl. We don’t mind.”

”Really?” Adora perked up. “Thanks!” she waved behind her before darting off towards the backstage.

”Does this bitch not understand sarcasm?”

”Give her two brain cells a break.”

Adora looked around frantically only to find out that Catra was already gone. She was nowhere to be seen. Giving one last shot, Adora ran outside, taking the emergency exit leading towards the parking lot. She sighs in relief when she got a glimpse of Catra walking towards her car. “Catra!” she called out.

Catra definitely heard her since she picked up her walking pace. She pretended like she didn’t however.

“Catra!” Adora repeated, running across the parking lot trying to catch up. She huffed as she slowed down to a jog. “Wait!”

Catra didn’t even spare a glance as she stored her guitar in the trunk. After closing the door, she opened up one to the back seat, still ignoring Adora. Catra felt her staring a hole through her body though. _”You’ve gotta be joking me.”_

”Catra.”

Catra hummed as she slid off her jacket, tossing it over the seat, just in front of the back window. She rested her hand on top of the car door to close it when Adora shoves it shut. “Watch it,” Catra growled. “I could’ve gotten my fingers stuck.”

”Then don’t ignore me,” Adora stood over Catra. She was basically looming over her with the height difference. Putting her hand on the car roof, she looked down on Catra. “I saw them.”

”Saw who? Actually, never mind. I don’t care,” Catra ducked under Adora’s arm nonchalantly. “Go away.” She bumps into Adora on the way down. Adora had shifted her arm down, blocking Catra from leaving. “Adora, I’m not in the mood for games.”

”Then what the hell are you playing at?” Adora leaned closer. She could smell Catra’s shampoo. It was the same brand she’d used for years. No, stay in the moment, Adora.

”I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, now leave me alone.”

”Are you kidding me?!” Adora snapped. “I saw your _‘girlfriend’_ kiss Netossa! You didn’t even bat an eye at that!”

”Okay,” Catra crossed her arms. “So what if they kissed? Maybe they’re best friends,” she winked.

Adora clicked her tongue. “Catra. Tell me the truth. Are you dating her or not?” She caught Catra as she tried to escape again, this time holding her by her wrists. “Tell me!”

“I don’t see how any of that is your business,” Catra slyly grinned. Her heart twirled at the sight of Adora getting all worked up over her. One little thing easily set her off, and Catra enjoyed every bit of it.

”It _is_ my business,” Adora uttered, face still close to Catra’s. She was too frustrated to notice the proximity. Her arm still held Catra against the car door.

”Oh?” Catra scoffed. “And how exactly is it now, _Adora?”_

Adora inhaled sharply, realizing what she had just said. Catra was right; she didn’t have any reason to be so mad. She shouldn’t have... but it still irked her every fibre of being. “Because...” she searched for the right words to explain. Honestly, nothing could have done that. She stared into Catra’s eyes, the other girl’s face delighted for some reason.

“Let me answer that question for you then,” she narrowed her eyes. ”Because _you want me so fucking bad,”_ Catra tilted her head, whispering in Adora’s ear.

Breath tickling her, Adora jumped back in surprise. She momentarily let go of Catra. “What?! I don’t want you! Where did you even get that idea?”

”Please, take a damn look at yourself,” Catra eyed Adora, looking her up and down. “It’s so, so pathetic.”

Adora grit her teeth and pushed Catra against the door once more, trying to still have somewhat of control over the conversation. It didn’t make sense; she was the one on top, but Catra was pulling the strings. “Why are you acting like this?” Adora furrowed her brows, voice stern.

“You want me so bad, it’s funny,” Catra chuckled. “But you let me slip through your fingers.” Her heart skipped a beat, hoping Adora didn’t catch the meaning behind her words. Luckily, it seemed that she hadn’t.

Adora couldn’t believe Catra was laughing at this time. “You don’t know that!” she felt her voice falter. This was bad.

Catra licked her lips, still smirking. “So, are you gonna keep pinning me down or what? I have places to be tonight... maybe at Spinny’s.”

Tightening her grip on Catra’s wrists, Adora pressed her harder for answers. “Not until you tell me what this is all about. Why are you even doing all of this?!”

”Aw,” Catra drawled, voice low. “It’s so simple.”

”What?”

”Because it’s fun.”

”This is fun to you? Playing with me?”

”I’m just returning the favor!” Catra gradually lost her cool. She struggled against Adora’s grip, but it didn’t work. Realizing she wasn’t gonna get free this way, she sneered. Adora really had to gall to act like she wasn’t in the wrong? It’s just payback. Long awaited payback, and it was sweet. “You brought this on yourself.”

Of course it was fun. She didn’t even have to ask for Catra to know. It was fun to finally have someone know how much they hurt you. It didn’t compare, but anything really was enough.

”How?! I didn’t ask for whatever _this_ is,” Adora raised her voice alongside Catra. “Why can’t we just talk?”

”Because I already gave you a second chance. You fumbled it. I’m just giving you a taste of what you did to me. Letting you back into my life was clearly a big mistake,” Catra clenched her hands, nails digging into her palms. “Look where talking led to. Or do you not remember what you fucking said?”

”I told you that was an accident! I didn’t mean it like that.”

”How the fuck was that an accident? In what world would you ever say that on _accident?”_ she emphasized the last word, saying it louder.

Letting go, Adora dropped her hands to Catra’s waist, pulling her in for a hug. “Please, let me explain... or even apologize.”

Catra quickly pushed Adora away. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” she snapped. “Don’t. What about ‘I’m not giving you another chance’ isn’t clear to your dumb ass?”

”Catra, please...” Adora tried again. “I’ll... I’ll leave you alone after. Just let me-“

”No. I don’t want to. We don’t have anything to talk about.”

Adora grimaced as she looked at Catra. None of her words were getting through to her. Maybe it really was over between them, and it was all her fault. Her eyes flickered over Catra’s face as she grasped at thoughts that never would work. She felt Catra slipping away further and further, yet she couldn’t do nothing to stop it. She could try as hard as she wanted to no avail.

“What?” Catra spat out. “Are you gonna kiss me or what?” she mocked, rolling her eyes. “All you-“

Adora quickly brought their faces together, sliding her hand under Catra’s jaw to tilt her head. She met her lips with a tinge of desperation. Maybe it would fix things; though it was a long stretch. They break away when Catra pushes her off. “Woah, woah, woah!” she leaned back, trying to get away from Adora. The car was in the way. “That wasn’t a fucking invitation.”

Eyes widening in horror, Adora gasped. “I-I... I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking!” she defended. _“I’m such an idiot!”_ She knew that she just made things ten times worse by misreading the situation. It was so obvious too. Why would Catra even want to kiss her now? How did she even get the thought that that was the right thing to do? “I...”

Catra shut Adora up by practically slamming their lips together again, yanking her by the collar of her shirt. Something in Catra’s body compelled her to, because she clearly wasn’t thinking straight. She let go of the collar and grabbed Adora’s head, pushing it closer and wrapping her free arm around her shoulders. Their tongues danced around each other’s as Catra tried to forget about anything and everything.

The air was thick. The cold night quickly disappeared. Catra’s heart pounded against her chest, but she didn’t care. She didn’t care that her whole body was screaming at her to stop. Her mind fought itself as she deepened the kiss. She didn’t want to do this, but she needed to. Catra couldn’t help but feel awful. Adora was supposed to be the one head over heels over her. Adora was supposed to be wrapped around her little finger. Dumb, stupid, fucking Adora.

So why? Why did Catra always find herself coming back? Why did she always feel like this? Telling herself everyday that she hated Adora never worked. She _despised_ her. So, again. Why?

It was disgusting. How could she want Adora’s dumb, buff ass to top her? Wait. Catra ignored those thoughts as best as she could. _“Top me? I’m going fucking crazy,”_ Catra sucked on Adora’s tongue. _“No, I don’t fucking want her.”_ She grabbed Adora’s free hand and placed it on her thigh. _“I don’t.”_

She knew telling herself things to believe them didn’t work. No matter how much she denied it, it wasn’t true. “Catra-“ Adora momentarily broke away in shock. “What are you do...”

”Shut the fuck up or I’m going straight home,” Catra demanded. “Don’t say anything. I don’t want to hear anything else come out of your stupid fucking mouth other than my name.”

”Wha...” _Oh._ Adora gulped, eyeing a very, very sexy Catra. Something about huffing and puffing after a kiss pleased her. _“Wait, why are we doing this again?”_ Adora still shyly leaned in.An impatient Catra threw herself on her.

”Fuck,” Catra cursed. “Are you gonna kiss me for real yet? This shit’s a solid two out of ten right now.”

Like Catra flipped a switch, Adora instantly threw away all restraint and slammed her against the door. “Ow! What the fu-“ Catra yelped, but Adora silenced her by shoving her tongue down her mouth. Catra didn’t want to admit it, but that was kinda hot. Her knees felt weak, and she slightly dropped. Adora’s leg was now pressed up between her thighs.

Adora repeated what happened at the beach. Her tongue trailed the same exact patterns that made Catra shudder. She remembered. Letting out a soft moan, Catra clutched Adora’s hair. “I’m gonna go bald if you pull any harder,” she winced.

”Payback for the fucking coma you almost put me in,” Catra panted out. She reached for the car door as they continued making out. When she finally got enough strength to yank it open, she pushed Adora towards it. She didn’t seem to notice. Once they were in position, Catra fell inside, pulling Adora in with her. “Woah!” Adora braced herself on the car seat, now on top of Catra.

”Don’t stop,” Catra whispered in Adora’s ear as she hugged her close. Obliging, Adora made quick work of her neck. She left hickies on Catra, the same one she loved so much. “Fuck, are you gonna just tease me?”

”What?” Adora blinked. What more could Catra want from her? She was just doing what seemed to make Catra happy before, but apparently it wasn’t enough.

”You fucking idiot,” Catra pulled Adora’s jacket off, but it got caught on her shoulder. It just hung off her like a bad fashion statement. “You’re making me the most unhorniest girl alive right now.”

”Catra, you know I-“

”Then read the mood! Jesus, I can’t believe I even have to tell you this.”

Adora sighed and shrugged her jacket off, still straddling Catra. She threw her t-shirt off to the side and unbuttoned her pants. She left them on when she saw Catra just watching her. “Are you just gonna sit there?”

”Take a look at me,” Catra traced a finger alongside Adora’s faint abs, causing her to shudder at the light touch. “I’m not quite in the position to undress myself now. Do it for me.”

“Are you sure...?”

”Adora, my panties are getting drier by the minute.”

* * *

“You don’t have to be so stingy,” Adora muttered, tugging at Catra’s shorts. She picked at the hem. It was painful seeing Adora take her sweet ass time with this. Her head was throbbing, her heart was throbbing, shit, her _clit_ was throbbing. Adora’s curious gaze quickly switched up. She grinned, leaning back in for a kiss.

Their tongues intertwined as Adora’s hand slowly crept down Catra’s thigh. Catra flinched when Adora pressed down on her pussy with a firm finger. Even if her panties were still on, it felt like she was touching it directly, and she wanted more. Adora chuckled. “You were lying about your panties being drier. I think it was the opposite,” Adora said cheekily.

Catra bit Adora’s tongue, narrowing her eyes in small victory as Adora jumped back. “Just fuck me already,” she uttered, stroking Adora’s arm. Any slow moment now allowed her to think about what was happening, and that wasn’t a good thing. Catra removed her arms holding Adora and instead used them to slide off her underwear. 

They were messing with each other, a remnant of the past. Even if things were different, the mood shared the characteristics of their old personalities. Their old interactions. It was odd, really. Falling back to old habits in this situation. Was it a reminder of their bond?

Pulling away from their heated kiss, Adora experimentally pinched Catra’s clit. She arched her back, digging her hips into the car seat as Adora continued rubbing it in slow, small circular motions. She ran her palm down Catra’s folds, spreading them in the process. Glancing at the surprising amount of fluids coming out, she licked her fingers and circled back to Catra’s clit. As she sped up, Adora noticed Catra squirming in place beneath her.

”Fuck...” Catra grit her teeth, trying to suppress a moan or any noise that indicated that she was enjoying it. She didn’t want to give Adora the satisfaction. It was getting harder and harder when Adora slipped a finger in. Then two. She felt good being able to cause Catra to end up like... this.

“Give it to me,” Catra pleaded, voice strained. If was gonna let Adora have her way with her, it was on her terms. It was painful trying to stifle her breaths. Holding on to Adora, Catra’s hands trembled as they glided down her back, leaving small scratches that were definitely gonna leave a mark.

”Give what to you?” Adora grinned. “I don’t know what you want unless you tell me.”

”Make me cum,” Catra spat out, not dealing with whatever bullshit Adora wanted to pull.

Adora continued trailing kisses down her body, starting at her rib cage. Her tongue roamed Catra’s body at a steady but hungry pace. She pumped her fingers in and out of Catra’s pussy as her lips arrived at her naval, stopping just short of her crotch. Each moan and cry for more that came out every now and then was music to Adora’s ears. She brought her mouth down the throbbing, wet mess.

Adora first slid her tongue up Catra’s slick, then gently nibbled on her clit, alternating between sucking and lashing it with her tongue. Catra pushed Adora’s head down, involuntarily spreading her legs. Her breaths were ragged, she couldn’t hold them in anymore. Every breath was a cry of pleasure. Catra looked at Adora going to town in between her legs. The sight made her disgusted to her very core. Is it possible to want something so bad, yet hate it?

Adora teased her, slowing down the pace. She wanted more. Catra opened her eyes, irritated at the change. “You’re awful at this, you know?”

”Really?” Adora chuckled. “Should I stop then?” she pulled away.

Catra furrowed her brows at the loss of contact. The relief left, yet the frustration stayed. “Fuck you,” Catra cursed. Her body was begging for more, but her pride blocked the intrusive thoughts. “I can get off myself; I don’t need you.” She reached down between her legs, trying to continue what she started. It was weird. She didn’t see herself masturbating in front of Adora. Ever.

She ran her own fingers down, spreading her pussy lips to entice Adora, but neither of them seemed the budge. It looked like both of them had too big of egos. Catra rubbed her clit roughly, trying to recreate the feeling Adora had engrained into her mind for the night. It felt better than before, yet not the same. She sucked in a breath as she could feel Adora stare hard at the scene.

Adora gulped, unable to look away. This felt wrong to watch, yet her eyes were glued to what was in front of her. She grit her teeth as Catra pleasured herself. “Okay, you got me,” Adora grinned, returning to her previous position. She hungrily pressed her lips against Catra’s pussy, moving her hand.

Catra bucked her hips towards Adora, clenching down on the fingers thrusting inside her. The overstimulation was getting to her. “Fuck,” she cursed again, this time almost not finishing the word between pants. She threw her head back, pushing her elbows against the seat as a brace. The more it went on, the less bearable it got. She was close. Really close. Adora knew it and kept the rhythm up. She tirelessly slid her fingers in and out, making dirty noises.

She enjoyed seeing Catra squirmed when she moved her fingers a certain way. When she gently bit down on her sweet spot. Catra’s moans were the rewards of her hard work, and she wanted to hear more.

”Harder,” Catra called out. _“Make me forget that I hate your fucking guts,”_ she wanted to say, but surprised she had the power to hold it back.

”Gladly,” Adora hummed, picking up the pace. She worked her arm back and forth, still finger fucking Catra.

It made Catra’s mind go blank. She shuddered as Adora’s fingers easily slid out, then back in. Whimpering as she missed the company of Adora every time she pulled out, Catra jerked her hips alongside the motion Adora had set in place with each stroke.

Catra’s breath hitched as she got closer and closer to an orgasm. Was Adora good at this? Or did it just feel good because it was Adora? She hoped it was the former. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but look where that thinking got her. Adora was topping her, and she fucking enjoyed every little bit of it. Catra couldn’t stand to look Adora in the eyes because she already knew what kind of face she was making. That dumb, stupid-

“Adora!” Catra whined. She came, and she came _hard._ Waves of pleasured soared through her body, not like anything she’d felt before. Tensing her fingers, she dug her nails deep into the shoulders she had been holding on to. The high quickly faded when embarrassment hit her like a train. Something like post-nut clarity. She’d been moaning, screaming almost Adora’s name throughout her orgasm. It made her release ten times less satisfying in her head, but her body didn’t care. It wanted _more._

She wasn’t going to lie. Their bodies were miraculously compatible.

Catra reached behind her, cracking open a window. The air was getting too hot and heavy to breathe in. The cold wind that seemed to disappear before came rushing in, giving the two a sense of relief. Catra took in several small breaths as she still panted from the aftermath.

She let out a gasp as Adora roughly pulled her hips up, lifting one of her legs. “What are you doing?”

”Don’t tell me you’re done after one round.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Of course not. Who do you think I am?” Seeing Adora act this way made her shudder, igniting something deep inside. She was ready to go again.

”I think you’re a bottom.”

”Fuck you,” Catra sneered. She couldn’t they were bickering during sex.

Adora finally took off her pants but stopped short at her underwear when she heard Catra laugh out loud. “What?” she furrowed her brows. Suddenly she felt self conscious. Was Catra laughing at her body? No, they’ve seen each other naked before. But it wasn’t like this. “What’s so funny?”

“I expected you to be wearing boxers or something. Not this cutesy shit,” Catra chuckled.

”That’s rich, coming from someone who’s not wearing anything at all.”

”And you love it,” Catra retorted.

Adora licked her lips, not replying. It was true. She took off her panties, adjusting her position. Lifting the leg higher, Adora dragged her lips along the inside of Catra’s thigh, tickling it. She rested it on her shoulder, pressing her own pussy against Catra’s afterwards. While Catra was on the receiving end, Adora couldn’t help but feel aroused at watching her reactions.

”You copying what you see in pornos or what?” Catra scoffed, but she didn’t exactly mind it.

Adora started to grind against Catra, quickly pleased with the new sense of relief for what had been building up inside her for a bit too long now. “Why do you have to make this so hard? Can’t you be a little nicer? It’d make the mood better.”

”You’re enjoying yourself anyway,” Catra groaned. Trying to talk shit while getting your brains fucked out was kinda hard. “Don’t be so needy.”

”It doesn't hurt to play along a little.”

”What, you want me to call you ‘sweetcheeks?’ now?”

Adora huffed, rocking her hips in a consistent, but ragged motion. “Just say my name.” She loved all the times Catra used to call her. The way she said it made her stomach do flips. Her heartbeat quickened as soon as that ‘Hey, Adora’ left Catra’s mouth. Sweat formed in her palms. They were friends; friends don't feel that way with each other, right?

Adora laid in bed during late nights, replaying old videos and voice messages Catra had sent her just to hear her voice again. It was sad, pathetic maybe, but she didn’t care. It made her feel at home, even if for a few seconds. Adora couldn’t bring herself to move on. To delete old conversations and pictures.

Being like this together inexplicably soothed an urge that Adora had had for a while now. The urge that grew every time they met eyes. Every time that they talked; even if little.

Almost like she was reading her mind, Catra pulled Adora in by the back of her neck. “Adora,” she whispered in Adora’s ear, biting the lobe softly. “How’s that?”

There it was. The sweet tone that made her knees weak back then was exactly how she remembered it. Adora leaned in to kiss Catra again, but she turned away. “You don’t want to?” she raised a brow.

”Not when you just ate me out,” Catra managed to scoff, even if breathless.

Frustrated, Adora instead bit the crook of Catra’s neck, pulling her head back by a bundle of hair clutched in her fist. Catra tried to stammer out a response, but shut her eyes tight when Adora resumed rubbing their clits together. “I want you,” Catra gasped when she realized what she said. It was a slip of the tongue.

”Really now?” Adora purred, pulling Catra even closer. _“Fuck, this feels too good,”_ she clenched her jaw. She was getting close, and she could feel Catra was the same. Her breathing was rapid, chest heaving up and down as it drew rapid breaths in.

”You’re so fucking hot,” Catra breathily whispered in Adora’s ear, causing warmth to engulf her body. Should simple compliments make you feel this way?

Adora’s muscles flexed as she was about to give out from overexertion, head spinning. “I’m almost there.” The car shook a little more as she increased the pressure.

”Good, I was wondering if you were fucking eunuch or not.” Catra didn’t want to cum before Adora did. She wanted to be better. Was that even a thing? No, it didn’t matter. She didn’t want to lose, that was the important part. “Hurry up,” she gasped. Then again, she knew what was coming after. After this, she meant. The aftermath. She decided to not dwell on it until time came. 

Catra wasn’t holding back her moans anymore. If the someone was outside, they definitely heard what the fuck was happening in the car. _Shit._ Someone could walk past right now and catch them in the act... and that gave her a rush.

Adora’s eyes explored Catra’s bare body; seeing it in this state was something completely unexpected. The way she desperately searched for a brace to steady herself at every small movement Adora made drove her crazy. She let one hand go, shifting it towards Catra’s breasts. Roughly massaging it, she felt confident when she gets a positive reaction; Catra’s moans.

”I love it when you do that,” Adora crooned. She could tell her technique was sloppy at the least, but it was enough to make Catra act this way— and that was enough for her.

”I love it when you stop fucking talking-“ Catra yelped when Adora played with her nipple, twirling it in a coy manner. It frankly pushed her over the edge. The same one that she was already teetering over.

”But you’re so cute,” Adora said in a low voice. It made Catra’s heart flutter, even for a moment.

It didn’t take long for Catra to finally reach climax. Her lips quivered as she caught a moan in her throat. “Adora...” she tried to keep her eyes open. Words were overrated anyway. She pulled Adora in for another kiss. Tensing her legs, her toes curled as Adora went faster and faster relentlessly.

Then it hits both of them, the rising tension easily melting away. The build-up disappearing like a swift breeze in the night. Pleasure released throughout their bodies, the strenuous activity finally catching up to them. Adora slowed down, letting the feeling draw out.

* * *

Adora finally relaxed, laying on top of a slightly trembling Catra. She buried her face in her chest, the sound of Catra’s heartbeat strangely soothing her. Excitement ebbed into calm idleness. Neither of them said anything, both just lost in the moment.

Catra stared down at the resting blonde contently. The feeling of them so close together once more like this was something that she hadn’t thought about in a long time. Though it wasn’t right to say she had missed it.

The bed she slept on these four years felt too big, too empty... too cold. Basking in the afterglow now reminded her of the answer. Catra watched as Adora lay there on top of her still. She reached out tenderly, stroking Adora’s hair softly. Fingers untangling sparse knots, she felt the sense of dread slowly gnaw at her body. She knew what it was, and she wanted to run away. She wanted a break from it. Everything.

All of her thoughts made her mind almost combust. They piled up, one after another and they seemed to not stop. Catra felt her racing heart instantly freeze when she hears Adora say those three words she’d been yearning for all these years.

”I missed you,” Adora adjusted her head, still resting it on Catra’s chest. The feeling of Catra playing with her hair and just pampering her was nice. It wasn’t everyday that this happened.

Catra’s thoughts ceased, and instead were replaced with one. _“How funny.”_ It described a lot of things. It was funny how Adora said those words like it would fix everything. It was also funny how she could even believe them, even for just a fleeting moment. “No you don’t,” Catra muttered under her breath, unaware of the words that had just slipped out. “You never have.”

People change, for better or for worse. Catra believed she was the latter. Once sure of everything, she was now consistently finding herself at odds with her own mind. Long nights alone never gave her the answers she was looking for, they only grew more uncertainties. 

She dreamed of the day where Adora would come running back into her arms, saying those exact words that came out of her mouth just now. ‘I miss you’ was the sentence she repeated in her head over and over again just to get a sense of comfort. It never helped, just prolonged the inevitable thoughts.

So why? Why is it that the thing she wished for so bad... do nothing? Right, because Adora didn’t really miss her. She never did; what she said at the party solidified that. It was like saying ‘I love you’ during a one night stand with a stranger. Sweet nothings.

It was awful. Catra couldn’t believe she was letting Adora play with her like that. Her heart wanted it to be true, yet everything just had to be so complicated. She would do this again, and that hurt. Even after all the pain Adora gave her, Catra couldn’t help but come back every. single. fucking. time. She couldn’t stay away. She can’t, and not knowing why was a massive burden that weighed her down so much.

Catra wrapped an arm around Adora, pulling her close. It stung. It really did. So why did she keep subjecting herself to this kind of pain? Adora let her down. No, she let herself down. The times she was screaming into the night, promising herself that she’d never let Adora back into her life... all of them were quickly thrown away the second Adora batted her eyelashes, begging for a second chance.

She let out a small gasp when she got an epiphany. She might’ve figured it all out, and it wasn’t a good answer. A terrible one, in fact. No, no. It wasn’t true. _“It’s not true,”_ Catra repeated the phrase in her head over and over. It can’t be.

Adora looked up, briefly meeting Catra’s eyes. She smiled, the hope returning to her. Taking the hand that was caressing her, Adora brought it to her cheek. The cold tinge tickling her heated face. “Catra,” she started. “I’m sorry.”

Catra didn’t move, nor show any sort of reaction. She wanted to pretend she was still processing what had just happened, but couldn’t. She tried what she did best; hide her vulnerability under an indifferent mask. But it was too late. It was time, and she felt a pang of regret in her chest. Then more. Overwhelmed with the rush of emotions, Catra’s mask finally cracked.

Everyone makes mistakes, but hers were big. Catra stared at Adora blankly. They crossed a line. They crossed a line and it was too late to turn back. The dread crawled up faster and faster inside of her body as she thought about it. “Catra?” Adora squeezed her hand gently. “What’s wrong?”

 _”Me,”_ Catra bit back the thought. She wanted to scream, get angry, but couldn’t. She felt nothing but guilt. Why did she want so badly for this moment not to end, yet simultaneously hating every second of it? 

Worriedly, Adora repeated her question. Catra was strangely quiet. Instead of a reply, she propped herself up against the car door, leaving Adora behind. “Get out.”

”What?”

The demand was calm, yet terrifyingly heavy.

Catra fumbled around her car for her clothes and started dressing herself as quickly as she could. Adora started doing the same, though still lagging behind. “Catra, what are you...”

”Get the hell out of my sight,” her words cut. She didn’t want to look at Adora. She couldn’t.

Adora kept her mouth shut for once and backed out of the car slowly, watching Catra hop over to the driver’s seat. She closed the door and walked over to Catra’s window. She put a hand on it, but quickly pulled away when Catra stepped on the gas and drove out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. She jumped back to avoid getting her foot ran over.

As Catra left, her eyes darted at the faint handprint left on the glass. She didn’t spare a second glance before rolling the window down for the night. Her hand gripped the wheel tightly as she made a turn closer back to home.

Standing there speechless, Adora winced as the adrenaline faded and the wounds kicked in. She flinched as she tightened her back, the scratches leaving a prominent sting. She took a deep breath and did the walk of shame back inside the bar.

Shirt rubbing against her future scars, she made her way backstage to look for Bow and Glimmer. They’re still cleaning up, happily chatting away without her. Bow looked up, face dropping when he gives Adora a once-over. “Adora, please don’t tell me...”

Solemnly nodding, she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes. Nor Glimmer’s. “Yeah, we did.”

”Why?” was all he could muster up. He was beyond furious, yet still sorry for Adora. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

”It was her this time, not me,” Adora tried to defend herself, but knew it was for naught. “I... I just want to go home now.”

Bow bit his lip, crossing his arms. He didn’t say anything in return.

”Just help us pack up then I’ll drive you,” Glimmer closed her bass’s case, hoisting up. “We’re almost done anyway.”

”Right,” Adora bent down, but winced as her skin stretched, exposing the open wounds. She sucked in a breath through her clenched teeth.

”Are you okay? Did she break your back or something?”

”No, not that. Don’t worry about me.”

The three finish cleaning and left the establishment. The gig was a success, but there’d be no afterparty. Not even a celebration. As Adora sat down and leaned back against the seat, she groaned in pain. It was really bad. “Okay, we’re gonna stop by the pharmacy to get something for whatever that is,” Glimmer sighed.

”No, really, it’s fine-“

”Just shut up. You’re over here acting like a stab victim, I’m not gonna deal with this for the next thirty minutes. Come on, there’s one two minutes away.”

When they reach the pharmacy’s parking lot, Glimmer instructed Adora to wait in the car. Coming out with a bag and a few drinks, she opened the backseat’s door. “Look at the other side,” she pointed. Back facing Glimmer and Bow, both let out a gasp when Glimmer pulled up Adora’s shirt. “Ouch,” Adora snapped, looking behind her. The cold wind hitting her exposed skin was anything but soothing.

”Holy fuck,” Glimmer whistled. “She did this to you? Did you guys fuck or fight?”

”Well, it felt kinda good when we were doing it,” Adora swept her hair over her shoulder.

”God, ew! You didn’t have to tell me that!”

Glimmer inspected the scratches, some were deep, some were just surface-level injuries. She grabbed the alcohol wipes from the bag on the floor. Ripping open a pack, she gently dabbed at Adora’s back. Each movement cause Adora to flinch and jolt in pain. “Glimmer, that really hurts!” she shut her eyes tightly, scrunching up her face in agony.

”Bitch, I’m doing it as softly as I can. Just bear with it for a little more. It’s not my fault you fucked her.”

”Glimmer!”

”Stop moving!”

Adora clicked her tongue and turned back around. It wasn’t worth any of her energy to be arguing right now. She waited patiently as Glimmer continued cleaning up. Adora sighed in relief as it seemed like Glimmer was finished.

Cracking open a tube of ointment, Glimmer pushed Adora’s shirt slightly higher. “What the hell, are those teeth marks? Is Catra a fucking animal? This is literally the second time I’m seeing bites on you.” She squeezed the tube, letting a drop cover a q-tip. She traced it along the scratches on Adora’s back. “Almost done now. Don’t move.”

Adora slowly relaxed as the pain seemed the ease up after having the ointment get applied. “...Thanks,” she rubbed her knee. “I know I’m probably a pain to take care of.”

”Oh, you’re definitely right about that.”

Glimmer rolled Adora’s shirt down, giving a light smack on her shoulder as she stepped back. “All done. We can finally go home now. Also, tell her to cut her damn nails or something next time.”

”I’m pretty sure there won’t be a next time.”

”Eh, you said that about the kiss,” Glimmer chuckled.

“Can we just go now?” Bow slammed the door on the way in. “My dads are gonna worry if I stay out any later.”

”Fine, fine,” Glimmer shrugged, getting back into the car. Starting the engine, she took a peek at Bow. He was clenching his jaw so hard she thought his teeth would crack. The rest of the ride to Adora’s house was silent. Once she left, Glimmer immediately turned to Bow. “So what’s the big issue now?”

”Nothing,” he brushed her off, still looking straight ahead.

”Bow, you look like you wanna kill somebody. Is it Adora?”

”No.”

Sighing, she set the car to park. “Bow...”

”Okay, fine,” he groaned. “Yeah, it’s Adora.”

”What’d she do this time?”

“What _didn’t_ she do? Every time I give her advice, she just ignores it and does this shit!”

”C’mon, you know she’s not doing it on purpose.”

”Are you kidding me? We explicitly told her to talk to Catra, yet all she’s ever done is go down on her. Nothing is gonna get better if all they do is anything _but_ talk,” he waved his arms, exasperated. “How does that even happen? They always fight! In what world would you kiss or even have sex with the person you’re always butting heads with?!”

”Hey, you said it yourself.”

”What?”

”Adora knows still has feelings for Catra; Catra’s the one who’s all willy-nilly about it. Like, she’s constantly pushing Adora away only to do... you know. I feel like she doesn’t know what she really thinks about Adora. She needs someone to talk to.”

”Are you saying we talk to her?”

”Hell no! Someone she trusts, like Scorpia.”

”I’m pretty sure if Catra wanted to talk, she’d already do it.”

”I guess you’re right. I get that people need time to sort their feelings out, but honestly, Catra’s been holding on to them for way too long. It’s been what, four years? Almost five?”

”Glimmer, you don’t even know her that well. We honestly shouldn’t be getting involved with her personal problems. I can agree with helping Adora, but we’ve only known Catra for a few weeks. She’s cool and all, but I don’t really think she’d appreciate us being nosy about her life.”

”Then we’ll just tell Scorpia about it. I’m sure she’ll want to help Catra.”

”Wait, Scorpia?” Bow widened his eyes as realization dawned on him. He brushed off her first mention, but a second one wouldn’t slip his mind.

”Yeah?” Glimmer wasn’t quite sure what the question was leading towards.

”Um... where is she again?”

”Oh, fuck.”

Sneak Peek of ch 7 (Catra wearing Adora's clothes ;) )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're liking the series, please leave a comment/kudo! I also accept criticism/feedback! I appreciate you all for reading this trashfic! Thank you so so so much for the kudos and comments so far!! I look forward each time I update to your comments :)
> 
> I hope that one scene was worth waiting about a month and six chapters for! God I need to cleanse my browser history for all of the “research”, YES, RESEARCH I needed to do. I started off describing it to the best of my ability to my own experience, but I had to delve into some questionable works to get more ideas there. No foreplay cause hate sex (Yes, they will fuck again in another chapter.)
> 
> Another funny thing I read the other day whilst still writing this chapter:  
> Coochie is too funny  
> Pussy is too vulgar  
> Vagina is too formal
> 
> I’ve never read anything so true in my life???
> 
> Also this is one of the longest ever chapters I’ve written... It just kept going on and on and I felt like I should’ve paced it a bit better before drafting.


	7. Afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra’s not okay, neither is Adora. A slip of the tongue happens and the gears start grinding. She takes a step forward, then four steps back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out chapter 5 wasn't the only one I was super excited to start on! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this one.
> 
> A little shorter than usual, but the plot actually progresses! An equal trade off, I might say.

Glimmer had to hold herself back from slamming her foot on the gas pedal. She grit her teeth in worry. “How could you forget about Scorpia?!”

”What the fuck?” Bow retorted. “You forgot about her too! Don’t put all the blame on me now.”

”Ugh,” she groaned. “It was because of Adora in the first place. I forgot we were her ride home since Catra bailed on her.”

”You expect Catra to stay after what happened between her and Adora?”

”That’s why I’m worried. Let’s just hope her uncle drove her home or something. If not, we have some explaining to do.”

”Yeah, no dice. His bar closes at four in the morning. He’s definitely still there. I’m just saying, if Adora kept her pants on for just _one_ second-“

”Bow! I get it! She’s horny! Can we just focus on getting back to the bar?”

Bow sighed into his hand. “Okay, okay. I’ll get off of Adora’s dick... for now.”

”Thank you.”

Glimmer and Bow hopped out of the car as soon as she found a parking spot in the lot, quickly scrambling to find the friend they left behind. The car was a little uneven, but that didn’t matter. As they burst through the door, garnering a few confused looks, both sigh in relief when they catch Scorpia talking to Perfuma at a table.

Perfuma had been invited to watch their performance as Scorpia’s plus-one. They’ve been talking more often ever since the party. Cautiously approaching the love birds, Glimmer cleared her throat. She didn’t know whether to tell Scorpia that she might have forgotten about her and almost went home, but the other girl didn’t seem to notice.

”Hey, Scorpia...”

Scorpia turned around, flinching a little in her seat. She was fairly immersed in her conversation with Perfuma. Rubbing the back of her neck, she awkwardly replied. “Oh, hey! I didn’t see you guys for a while. Did you two go off to hook up or something?”

”No, but your friend certainly did,” Bow sighed. Glimmer shot him a glare that said, ‘now wasn’t a good time’, but it was already too late.

”Catra?”

Glimmer solemnly nodded, causing Scorpia to raise an eyebrow. “With who... oh.” She answered her own question. Frowning deeply, Scorpia’s face shifted as she processed the new information. She didn’t know if she was mad... or just disappointed in her friend. “Okay.”

Did she expect this? Well, yes and no. She knew things would go awry, but not to this degree. She felt negatively about Catra not heeding her advice and getting hurt once more. She figured it was inevitable anyway. Catra had problems she herself couldn’t help fix- only make the process of going through them easier. Scorpia knew she could only offer her own support as a friend.

She can give advice all she wants, but Catra is the one who decides what to do in the end.

Bow slightly twisted his lips as he realized that he had just soured the mood. “Sorry.”

”What are you sorry about?”

”For ruining the night.”

Scorpia reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder. “No, no,” she chuckled softly. “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you told me; I’m pretty sure Catra wouldn’t have. Is she still here?”

”No, Adora said she stormed off afterwards. Maybe she went home.”

”Hm,” Scorpia looked downwards for a second. “Okay, I’ll leave her alone for tonight. I can talk to her tomorrow about it. Have you talked to Adora?”

Sighing, Glimmer took a seat at the table. “Adora wasn’t in the mood to really talk about it. I’m pretty sure both of them regret hooking up.”

”I wouldn’t doubt it,” Scorpia returned.

”Those two are fucked up, huh?” Bow crossed his arms, leaning on the table. “I’ve never met people more confusing than them.”

Perfuma, slightly reluctant, joined in. “I get it though. Feelings are hard to manage, especially during these times. I’m sure they will figure things out soon.”

”Can soon come any faster?” Glimmer huffed. “Every single day is just drama, drama, drama with them.”

”If they talk to each other and work it out, then yes.”

”Ma’am,” Bow struggled to hold in his laughter. “Have you seen them together? That’s a no-go. They’d be lucky to even have small talk.”

”Then things have to change if they want to move on. Have you tried advising them towards the right path?”

”As much as I enjoy being their relationship therapist, they would rather do a backflip off a bridge than use our help,” Bow snorted. “I’ve told Adora like a million times to just talk to the girl. You know what she does? Anything but that!”

”You too?” Scorpia widened her eyes. “God, Catra is such a pain in the ass to deal with too. I’m always saying to either talk or let Adora go, but she just insists on being so angsty and causing drama. Listen, I love her, but a girl can only take so much before losing it.”

”Seems like they aren’t meant for each other then,” Perfuma tilted her head. “If they refuse to try to fix things...”

“That’s what I’ve been saying! But no, things just have to be so complicated. They want each other so bad, yet completely hate one another. How does that even work?” Glimmer added. “I could just disappear for a month and come back to see them still doing the same thing over and over again.”

”You really think whatever’s going on will last that long?” Bow scoffed. “Actually, no, it might be possible.”

”You really have no hope in them, huh?”

”Mm, it depends.”

The next morning, Catra continued staring at her window as the dark sky slowly shifted to daylight. It was time to get ready for school. Not moving a muscle, she decided to stay inside. She wasn’t in the mood nor had the energy to do normal shit. She watched as the clock on the wall ticked relentlessly, constantly reminding her that time won’t ever stop.

It seemed that time passes by faster when your mind is occupied. It was just twelve in the morning a few minutes ago. She tossed and turned on her bed, hoping to find a comfortable spot to rest. Nothing worked; the gnawing feeling she felt last night only grew and grew as time went on. It was suffocating at this point.

Staring at the droning ceiling fan, Catra laid down, sprawled out on the couch. She’s done nothing all day. Not even go to her classes. She figured she could miss a day. Or two, maybe more. No one would care much anyway.

Sure, moping around the house was pretty bad, but it took a lot of effort to leave the bed. The couch was somewhat of a reward of her blood, sweat, and tears. Catra had turned her phone off to give her at least some peace of mind. No distractions from her thoughts, even though that seemed like the best thing to do. Actually, no. It wasn’t.

If Catra wanted to learn from her mistakes, it was best to start sooner than later. She had to confront her muddled thoughts, no matter how much it hurt. A pang of remorse thumped against her chest and she tried to keep her mind on the glaring issue. 

She’s been trying to push Adora away all this time, but always ended up opening up in the end. Fuck, they even had sex. Catra groaned as she turned to the other side of the couch. Maybe it would’ve been better if she were drunk— she could somewhat justify the mistake then.

She hadn’t slept since... before the gig. Staying up all night was a habit, but this time was different. She didn’t do it on purpose. It was too hard to calm her ever increasing train of thought. Strangely, she still felt restless even after staying up for a little too long.

 _”Why?”_ was something she couldn’t answer. Not even partially. Catra hated herself for feeling this way. For thinking this way. Why couldn’t she just forget about Adora? Why couldn’t she just toss aside everything they had together? Each idea that popped up was easily rebuked.

Regrets. She had a ton of them. She regretted trying again. She regretted allowing herself to get hurt once more.

Patting the coffee table beside her, she tried searching for the phone she mindlessly tossed to the side. Turning it back on, she checked the time. Two P.M. School was done, and nothing was even close to being resolved. Catra knew Scorpia would come to check on her soon. How would she face her now, considering her current situation?

Easy. She won’t. A coward’s way out, sure, but it doesn’t even matter at this point. She didn’t care.

That’s why when she heard the doorbell ring, she pretended like nobody was home. It was funny. Where else would she be otherwise? After a few more tries, the person seemed to have left after leaving something on the porch. Catra could hear the shuffling from outside.

A moment later, her phone goes off from a text from Scorpia. She opt’d to save it for later. When Catra decided it was safe enough to check what her friend had left for her outside, her expression drops to a heavy grimace as she saw a takeout box sitting in front of her as she opened the door. Her face twisted with agony as she fought the feelings overwhelming her body. No, she didn’t deserve Scorpia. Scorpia was too good for her.

Then again, everybody else was.

Hesitating to pick up the box, she tried to still her trembling hand as she reached out. A note dropped as she lifted the food up. Storing the box aside, she bent over to pick it up. Catra clenched her jaw harder as she read, ‘Enjoy, Wildcat :)’

She retreated back inside, flopping on the couch and feeling much worse than before. This wasn’t working. Checking her phone again, her face lit up slightly as a text from Lonnie popped up.

->Lonnie: Want to hang out tonight? Park at 8. Fun times.

Usually Catra didn’t partake in whatever recreational activities the trio did, but maybe it was time. Well, not to do drugs or alcohol, but to hang out with them. Maybe this is what she needed; a distraction. It could help. It was clear that mulling over her thoughts didn’t solve anything. Typing out a reply, Catra set her phone back down. Now to kill five hours of her time.

How about thinking about all of her life problems some more? Catra shook her head. No. Maybe some food would help. She skulked over to kitchen table where she had left the takeout box. Hunger didn’t hit Catra until just now. She hadn’t eaten in a while, and it sucked when her body finally realized that it was a necessity. Opening the box, she smiled when a nice slice of apple pie greeted her. Scorpia knew her best.

It wasn't long before Catra finished the pie. It filled her stomach a little, but she felt the urge to try something more savory. Chips would probably suffice. She opened a few cabinets, checking the pantry for anything. She frowned when nothing good turned up. A short trip to the corner store wouldn’t hurt. She didn’t have anything else going on anyway. Quickly throwing on a jacket, she slammed the door shut on her way out.

Catra ducked her head as she noticed familiar purple hair poke out from the corner as she approached the store. She didn’t know why she did it, but it was honestly on instinct. She wasn’t looking the best, but then again, it was Entrapta. The girl didn’t give a shit about things like that. Taking a small gulp, she strolled up to the nerd nonchalantly, as if she wasn’t avoiding her just now.

”Hey,” Catra waved, getting the attention of Entrapta. “What are you doing here?”

Entrapta turned around, almost dropping the food she was holding with two arms. “Oh, heya, Catra. I was just stocking up on some snacks. I ran out the other day.”

”Really? Me too.” Catra paused for a little. “...Wanna hang out for a little?” She didn’t know what else to do. It wouldn’t be too bad to kill some time with Entrapta, right?

”Sure,” Entrapta nodded. “I’m free for a while.”

”Great, come with me while I grab some things? It won’t take too long.”

As Entrapta followed Catra back into the store, she had a little trouble keeping her food in her arms. Catra raised a brow. “Why didn’t you get a bag?”

”I prefer holding my things.”

”You could do that with a bag.”

”It’s different. I don’t know how to quite explain it to you.”

”Right, right,” Catra grabbed a bag of her favorite chips from the stand beside her.

”Why weren’t you at school?” Entrapta asked.

”...I had a rough morning. Didn’t feel like going today. Why? Did anything happen while I was gone?”

”No, no,” Entrapta shook her head. “I was just curious. You usually never skip classes. It must’ve been bad. You’re still wearing the same clothes from last night and all.”

Catra sighed as she looked down at herself, catching a few nicks and scuffs on her clothes. “Yeah. I just need some time off of things.”

”Did you talk to Scorpia today?”

Catra flinched as the cashier scanned her items. They cleared their throat as Catra didn’t respond to them telling her the total price. Snapping out of it, Catra stammered. “I... Uh...”

”She left as soon as the bell rang. Said she was getting some food for you. I assume she already dropped it off?”

”Yeah, yeah. I got it.”

The two settle on the curb, sitting on the edge of the sidewalk. Entrapta looked at Catra— she wasn’t good at these types of things. She cared about Catra, but didn’t know how she could be there for her. “...Do you want a distraction? Or advice?”

Catra laughed. She’s had enough ‘advice’ for a lifetime. She never followed them anyway. “Distract me.”

”Gladly,” Entrapta went on to ramble about her experiments and class work. It was hard to follow, but still interesting nonetheless. Though Catra found her mind wander from time to time. A friend’s company was enough.

Adora twirled her pen in her hand as she stared at her notebook. The problem she was stuck on wasn’t in front of her— it was more personal. A life problem. She jolted a little in her seat as she heard the doorbell ring. Dropping her pen, she pushed against the desk to get up. She wasn’t expecting visitors. It’s been a while since school had ended. Opening the door, she felt sweat form on her neck as she saw Bow and Glimmer stand there. “Hey?”

”Lemme in,” Bow brushed past. Glimmer followed with a shrug.

”Uh... okay,” Adora closed the door behind them, ushering them towards the living room. The three sat on the couch. “What are you guys doing here?”

”To talk,” Glimmer sighed. “It was Bow’s idea anyway.”

”Talk about what?”

“Last night,” Bow said with a stern voice.

Adora’s face dropped. She knew this was coming sooner or later. “Oh.”

”What the hell were you two thinking? Especially you!”

”I don’t think I was—“

”I can tell!”

”—I just got caught up in the moment.”

”Adora, tell us straight. Do you care about Catra? At all?”

”Of course I do. You don’t know how much she means to me.”

What kind of question was that? It was unfathomable for Adora to see Catra in any other way.

”Then why do you keep playing her?”

Adora froze up. Her blood went cold. The thought of that never even crossed her mind. “What are you talking about?”

”She thinks you hate her, and you’re over here doing everything but showing her that you even like her. How do you think you’d feel when a person’s only been fucking with you?” Bow paused, eying Adora. “Literally.”

”But she’s the one initiating all of that. What do you want me to do?”

”Probably because she thinks that’s all you want from her,” Bow scoffed. “Tell me one thing you’ve done with her other than kiss or fuck.”

Adora blinked. “W-well, she doesn’t let me talk to her. Look, I’ve been trying; trust me. I’m not just whoring out on purpose, okay?”

”Then say no! It’s not that hard. If you accept and not talk to her, you’re just cementing the thought that you’re only with her as a fuck-buddy. You guys haven’t talked normally in years.”

Avoiding eye contact, Adora turned her head away. “I... I can’t really do that with her.”

”Do what?”

”Say no to her.”

”Adora, this is literally life or death for your relationship with her.”

”I know, but I’m trying my best!”

”Promise me this. If you really want to get back together with her, talk. to. her.” Glimmer enunciated. “Promise me.”

”I promise! Just stop pressuring me. I know I screwed up. You’re not really making me feel better.”

”Good, cause it seems like you never fucking learn.”

Adora sighed into her hands. Everybody keeps telling her to talk to Catra, but that’s close to impossible. Is it really her fault if the other party doesn’t want to? Texting and calling wouldn’t work— so what will? Hunting her down at her own school? Showing up uninvited to her house? This was a problem Adora had no idea how to solve.

”Okay, yeah. I’ll... think of something.”

”You’re on your own this time. You need to figure this out yourself if you really care about her,” Bow pursed his lips. “I’m sorry, but it’s the only way.”

He took a deep breath. It’s not like she was following his advice anyway. What will happen next will be in her hands.

As her friends leave, Adora felt nothing but immense pressure weighing down on her. Then again, she dug her own grave. Now it was time to lie in it.

Catra felt herself unconsciously grip the steering wheel a little tighter as she pulled into the park’s parking lot. She saw her friends hanging out by the swings as she drove in. She waited a little before stepping out of the car to check if she still had second thoughts.

Lonnie seemed to have notice Catra, considering she smiled and waved at the girl. Yep, it was too late now. Catra slid out of the car, hands in pockets as she approached the group. “What’s up, guys?” she nodded slightly.

”Hey, Catra!” Lonnie grinned. “I’m actually happy you decided to come. You usually don’t.”

Catra awkwardly chuckled. “Yeah, I figured maybe this time I’d hang with you three. It’s been a while after all.”

”I was getting a little worried that you didn’t like us anymore,” Rogelio scoffed. “Glad to see I was wrong.”

”No way,” Catra shook her head. “Why the hell would I do that?”

”I was thinking Kyle did something wrong to you,” he returned. “He’s usually why you don’t talk to us for a while.”

”Hey!” Kyle complained. “It’s not always me. I don’t even know what I do half the time.”

”Want some?” Lonnie handed Catra the bottle she was holding, to which the other girl politely declined.

”Maybe later,” Catra gently pushed the bottle back. “I’m still a bit tired.”

”No problem. You can just watch us get piss drunk and talk about stupid shit.”

”Sounds good.” Catra took a seat on the floor beside the swings, leaning against the pole. “So, what’s been going on with you guys?”

”Not much,” Lonnie took a sip. “Same old, same old. Though the party set me back a few hundred.”

“Hey, it was a good party. I had fun.”

”So did the other guests. Tell me why I found a gaping hole in my damn backyard fence? How does that shit even happen?”

Catra let out a small laugh. She remembered seeing the incident go down in real time. “Right? That’s why you gotta be careful with these fucks at Horde High. They’re wild.”

”Some girl from Bright Moon flashed everyone in the kitchen. I almost kicked her out for that shit. They’re crazier than I thought too,” Rogelio snorted.

”I guess so.”

“But when I said everyone was invited,” Lonnie raised a brow. “I didn’t expect you to be friends with a bunch of Bright Moon folks.” She wanted to ask about Adora, but figured it wasn’t a good thing to bring up without ruining everyone’s moods first.

”Most of them are Scorpia’s friends. I only know like three.”

”Damn, how’d that even happen?”

”Scorpia’s band thing. She teamed up with a few Bright Moon people. Apparently they’re pretty good friends.”

”Oh, right, right. The band. How’s that going? I heard the gig went well. You gonna send me a CD some day?”

”Fuck off,” Catra rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Yeah, we did good. The crowd seemed to like the performance.”

Kyle tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. “Are you gonna stay in the band? Keep making music? I remember you used to love that type of thing when we were younger.”

Catra looked at him blankly. She wasn’t sure how to answer. Should she tell them? No. “Nah,” she shook her head. “I’m too busy for that. Maybe in another life, man.”

”Busy? Busy with what?” Rogelio chuckled. “You don’t do jack shit after classes. Or even during.”

”I’ve got my own thing going on.” It was vague, but still answered the question. “And come on, my life ain’t that sad. I have some hobbies.”

”Yeah, mhm,” Lonnie shrugged. “It’s nice having you around though. You always bring up the mood somehow.”

”No problem,” Catra closed her eyes for a little. “You guys are cool too. Wouldn’t trade ya for anything.”

The four chatter on for the next few hours about inside jokes and recent events going on with their lives. It was nice, spending time with friends. Laughing alongside each other made Catra think about other things for a while. It was getting really dark when Lonnie finally hopped off the swing she had been sitting on. “I think I’m gonna call it a night. Getting a little antsy now.”

”Same,” Rogelio answered. It was already obvious what Kyle was going to do. “I’ll see you around, Catra.”

”Yeah, yeah. I’m not going anywhere.”

”It was fun talking to you,” Kyle waved her off, following Rogelio. “Bye.”

Before Lonnie left however, she placed the half-empty bottle in Catra’s hand. “Take this. You can have the rest.”

”No, it’s okay-“

”Don’t worry about it. Think of it as my thanks. You can do anything with it. Drink it, toss it,” she chuckled. “Hell, you could even sell it if you can. It’s yours.”

”Thanks.”

”I’ll catch you later, Catra.”

Catra glanced at the newly acquired alcohol in her hand. She contemplated for a moment before realizing it was a dumb idea. Today wasn’t the day. Throwing it out would be kinda rude and a waste. Maybe she’ll save it for a rainy day. Who knows.

Even if her friends were done for the night, she wasn’t. There were still some more things to be resolved. Catra was exhausted, but then again, when wasn’t she? She could push on for just a bit more. She sighed as she realized it was time. No more pushing it aside. First was how she would face Scorpia. She probably found out considering Adora’s big mouth. Or that she ditched her after the gig.

She had to come clean sooner or later. Scorpia at least deserves to know, right? She’s been been by her side all these years. It was the least Catra could do. Confide in a friend. But would Scorpia forgive her this time?

How can you expect someone to forgive you when you can’t even forgive yourself first? This was all just so stupid. If only she moved on. If only she forgot. If only she wasn’t like this. 

Catra leaned against her car, staring out at the lights in the distance. Somehow, tonight felt different. Maybe it was because she was alone this time around. Really alone. Her head turned to the sound of leaves rustling behind her. She frowned when she recognized the group of people approaching her.

The boy in front held his head high in the air. Asshole. “What’s up, Catra?” his voice instantly irritating her.

”Leon.” Catra’s reply was short and curt. This fucker was the last person she wanted to see, yet here he was. He was always a nuisance to her. Like they were fated to always fight over the most minuscule shit. It had been years since they met, yet their fighting never ceased.

”How have you been doing?” his voice as sweet as a person can be before backstabbing you. “I’m sure you’ve been great since blondie dipped outta your life, right?”

”Just get the fuck out of my face,” Catra scoffed. “I’m not in the mood to deal with your dumb ass.”

Leon took a step closer, finger out to jab Catra in the shoulder. “Why can’t I just say hello to an old friend?”

She retaliated with a hard shove. “Watch it,” she hissed. “I’d rather eat glass than talk to you.”

The other boy laughed, buckling over as he held his stomach. “You...” he gasped out. “You really aren’t scary now that Adora ain’t around anymore. Sheesh, you really hit rock-bottom.”

Catra opened her mouth to answer, but decided it was best to ignore the menace. He would leave eventually after saying the usual pleasantries.

”C’mon,” Leon poked her again. “Say something. Or are you scared?” he turned around to look at his friends standing close behind. “Is it because Adora ain’t here to protect you now?”

His laughter was infuriating. His voice. His dumb, fucking face. “Pussy ass bi-“

Leon didn’t get to finish his sentence before Catra decked him while he was distracted. She didn’t care that it was a sucker punch. Bastard deserved it. “I told you to fucking leave!” she shouted.

He stumbled back, almost losing his balance. His knees bucked, hand holding the spot Catra had just hit. “Hey!”

Catra turned around to leave, but Leon grabbed her by the shoulder, yanking her back. “You started it,” Leon grumbled before winding up a big hook.

Catra noticed the wide movement and ducked to the side to avoid it. He took a couple steps forward to catch his balance as his punch whiffed. Spinning on his heel to face his opponent again, he was met with another heavy hand to the face. His lip got caught between his teeth.

Frustrated, he rushed over to Catra to tackle her down. When he was successful, he held one of her shoulders down and dragged his arm back to try to punch her again. Catra’s back hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of her. This time Leon’s punch connected. “You crazy ass bitch!” he huffed. “This is why Adora left you behind in the first place. I’m surprised people can even stand you.”

His hold wasn’t good though— nothing was holding down Catra’s core and legs. With enough struggle, she wrenched free from under and reversed the grapple. She was now on top, thighs holding Leon down. Anger seethed through her body, but mostly her head. She thought it was just an exaggeration. Seeing red.

“Don't fucking talk about her like you know her,” she rammed an elbow down on his face. “Don’t act like you know us,” she tried again. Each blow knocked his head back into the concrete ground. “You don’t get the right to.” Leon was lying. Lying to rile her up. “I never needed her.”

She pounded and pounded until his friends jumped in to pull her off. “Stop!” one yelled, but she couldn’t quite hear. “The fight’s over. You’ll kill him!” Catra struggled, trying to get the hands off of her. It took two people to rip her off of Leon, yet she still tried. She wasn’t done.

Leon kneed her hard on the ribs in an attempt to create some distance between them. It only made her try harder. With one last leg, Catra lunged to grab Leon once more. Wrangling with the panicking boy, she turned around when she heard someone running behind her. Rapid footsteps. Before she could process what was about to happen, her face was met with a heavy boot.

As she struggling to stay conscious, she heard voices bickering above her. “Why’d you fucking kick her?” a faint one shouted.

”She was going to kill Leon! His head is bleeding, for fuck’s sakes!” another answered with a shaky voice.

”What about her?”

”Just leave her. She’ll be fine,” Leon spat on the floor. Probably his own blood. “We’re done here.”

That was the last thing she heard before passing out. Maybe for good.

And then she awoke. How unfortunate. Catra blinked rapidly, trying to get her eyes to focus. Her ribs ached, yet it wasn’t the only thing that hurt. Her hand shot up to the back of her head. Good, there wasn’t any blood. She remembered winning... and then turning around to see a watcher joining in. It wasn’t fair. Then again, when was anything fair for her?

Right, it wasn’t fucking fair. For once. Just once, she wanted to win. Though she probably didn’t deserve it. Catra slammed her fist against the chain-link fence beside her— the sudden loud rattling reminding her that this was real.

She felt it build up inside. She felt the burning sensation devour her body— and she couldn’t stop it. In one fell swoop, her barriers cracked. She felt each piece crumble and fall to the ground as tears escaped her. _“No, no. Stop. Stop it.”_

Telling herself didn’t work. She watched as her body and mind betray her. The trembling grew as she tried to hold it in. 

And then Catra let it all out into the night. She screamed, shouted, yelled, wailed until her throat felt raw. Scratchy. A mumble jumble of pain. Her voice became raspy, but there was still so much left inside. She didn’t care if anyone heard her. She’s had enough of hiding it all. Pretending that everything was fine. That it was okay.

It was a cry for help. A plea for someone to come fucking save her. To get her out. She couldn’t do it herself. She’s tried. She’s tried so damn hard, but it was always the same at the end. Catra was still stuck. But who was she looking for?

She clutched her hair, almost tearing out the clumps that she gripped with an iron fist. It didn’t matter. Everything hurt anyway. Her body was telling her something was wrong; as if she didn’t know it herself.

Each passing day was worse and worse, yet it was all her fault. It was her fault that things turned out this way, right? She needed to stop blaming everyone else when the source was right there. Catra couldn’t take anything but short, wild breaths. She couldn’t calm herself down. She finally lost control.

Fuck everyone and everything. Why was it so hard to just... live?

Catra eyed the bottle of tequila Lonnie had left beside her. No, she wouldn’t stoop that low. She promised herself. She promised herself to never touch that shit again. Catra watched helplessly as she reached out to grab the bottle. Though promises were meant to be broken, aren’t they? Speaking from experience.

She grasped the neck of the bottle, staring at the logo plastered on the base. Just once. She forgot why she had stopped anyway. It made her forget— wasn’t that a good thing? Running away meant that you didn’t have to deal with whatever demons that haunted you.

No. Catra quickly put the bottle down. She was better than this. She knew better.

No, she wasn’t. Catra snatched it back, popping the cork that separated her and her vice. She didn’t think about it before holding the bottle high in the air, taking a long swig. That was mistake number... how many again? She lost count. The moment she dreaded for years now was happening before her eyes.

She gagged as the liquor entered her body; alcohol in her system. It was too late to go back now. She swallowed the spit rapidly forming inside her mouth. It burned. Her throat and stomach were set aflame, yet it didn’t hurt as much as the thoughts that tormented her.

It was then that she remembered. Why she was so adamant on avoiding this shit in the first place. Catra threw her head back, gasping for air as her face heated up— headache killing her slowly. Alcohol only ever made it worse. Though that’s why it worked. She took another sip.

It made her forget the feeling of helplessness by forcing her body to deal with a new crisis. Her thoughts faded as she slumped against the fence between the sidewalk and grass field. Between the sobbing, laughter came out.

It was hysterical. Her life was disgustingly miserable. Sad. Look at the way she ended up. Everyone and everything in the entire godforsaken world was against her— and she deserved every single bit of it.

Nothing about the cold, dark night was comforting. She hadn’t felt secure in so long, ever since a piece was missing in her life. It was stupid. How can you not live without a person? How can you not depend on yourself? How can you live with yourself knowing that you can’t take on the world alone?

Catra reluctantly brought the bottle back to her mouth, lips brushing the cold glass. She closed her eyes, finally easing up as each thought slowly became buried deep inside once more, disappearing for a fleeting moment. Today was a day off. From everything. She needed it.

She blankly stared at the lamppost parallel to her as she sat there still. The only movements she made now were to take another sip of the poison. Eyes unfocused, the outside world became blurrier and blurrier by the minute. Maybe she looked crazy, laughing to her drunken self as she sat alone on the floor at an empty park. It didn’t matter.

Head empty, Catra reached for the phone lying between her legs. Her fingers kept slipping on the screen; putting in the passcode was difficult. She blinked as the phone had finally unlocked. Swiping to her contacts, she stared at each name. Settling on the only person she trusted, she waited as the tone rang. The speaker buzzed; it was hard to focus. How long had she been sitting here again?

Then nothing. Scorpia didn’t pick up. Maybe she was busy. Maybe she didn’t have time to deal with Catra right now.

Catra didn’t blame her.

Trying again, she dialed a secondary person in her life. They were better than nothing.

But they didn’t pick up either.

Catra didn’t blame her.

She stared at the blinding bright screen of her phone, waiting for an answer to hit her in the face. Maybe that was too much to ask for. Running out of options, her eyes finally landed on the menacing name.

Catra cackled, fingers heavily gripping her phone as she went off. It was a dumb idea. It could never be. Unless?

She watched as the screen dim and switch to the phone call visual. It was an idiotic hope. One that pulled on her heartstrings. Catra set the call the speaker and tossed her phone aside. Hearing her voice through the voicemail message would suffice. Catra really was pathetic. She leaned more against the chain-link fence, nearing the end of her rope. She was tired. Out of energy. It was the last thing she wanted to hear before knocking out.

Her eyes shot open when she heard the call get picked up.

Suddenly the world was spinning.

”Hello?” the voice suspiciously answered.

Catra sat back up to the best of her ability, sliding the phone closer to engage in the potential conversation. She wasn’t thinking straight anymore. But then again, when has she ever?

“Hey, Adora,” Catra slurred, voice dry. It was weak.

Adora held her breath. She felt that something was wrong— yet she couldn’t put her finger on it. Why was Catra calling her? But... why did she sound different? “Why did you call me?”

The moment she saw Catra’s name flash on the screen of her phone, she immediately scrambled to grab it. Yet she held back to not look desperate. Seeing the sight again was unexpected, but somewhat relieving.

Adora got nothing in response but laughter. But it sounded like it hurt.

Catra tilted her head. It was getting heavy. Maybe it was time to let the alcohol do the talking. “Just checking.”

Adora raised a brow. “For what?”

No response again. Were they really talking? It seemed one-sided. “Catra, what’s wrong?”

 _”Everything,”_ Catra stared ahead. Though she couldn’t say that. Dumb Adora would just ask again what she meant, even when it was clear as day. “I’m okay,” she lied. The one thing she was best at doing. Adora can’t win again.

If Catra were really okay, she wouldn’t be calling Adora. She wouldn’t be wracking her mind over what-ifs. She would be enjoying her fucking amazing life without the girl. Then again, shit was never that simple. That was okay though. Not really.

”If you don’t tell me why you’re calling, I’m just going to hang up.” Maybe threatening her would make her open up. Finally give her answers.

”I already-“ Catra cut herself off with an audible wince. A groan of pain. Right, she just got her ass beat. “...I already told you why.”

”Catra, what happened?” That was enough to let Adora know something went horribly wrong. The voice. The painful sounds coming out from the other side of the call. She just didn’t know the details. “Where are you?”

”Your mom’s house,” Catra giggled absent-mindlessly. Oops, it was finally kicking in. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to stay awake.

”I’m being serious. You sound hurt.”

”Cause you hurt me, babe,” Catra bit her lip. That wasn’t meant to come out. She couldn’t control herself any longer. Anything goes from now on. Sober Catra will have to deal with the consequences. Drunk Catra can have her fun. She sniffled.

”Catra...” Adora’s voice softened from the demanding tone she had earlier. “Tell me where you are. I’ll come pick you up.”

Catra didn’t register over half the words Adora had just said. They easily flew over her head. One ear and out the other, one may say. “You aren’t strong enough to pick me up though.” This time she was really struggling to speak. Words came out in fragments.

”Please, just tell me where you are.”

”Since you asked so fuckin’ nicely...” Catra slid down from the fence her body was previously bracing against. She was practically lying on the floor now.

Adora waited for an answer, her body twitching with anticipation. Catra needed help. “Yeah?”

Slipping in and out of consciousness, Catra’s voice turned to a low, raspy whisper. “I’m... at the place where we split ways.” It was time. She couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. It was nice while it lasted.

Silence.

Adora gripped her phone harder. Panic quickly set in. “Catra?” she called out. No response. “Catra?” she repeated again, hoping for some sign that she was okay. Her stomach sank when the only sound coming out of her phone was the whistling of the wind. Adora didn’t know what happened. Did Catra pass out? Did she hang up? Did someone take the phone away from her?

Without a second thought, Adora ran out of her room after grabbing a jacket hanging in her closet, barreling through the hallway to put on sneakers. She didn’t have time. Catra could be in danger. Adora almost forgot to lock the door on the way out her house. She hit the ground running.

Her heart pounded as she ran through the streets. What Catra had said last could only mean one thing. Adora clenched her hand on the hoodie she was holding as she passed familiar streets. She didn’t have time to put it on. She didn’t need it anyway. Picking up the pace, she squinted as she made her way to where Catra might have been.

Adora’s worst fear came true when she found Catra lying on the ground battered and unconscious and holding a bottle of whatever alcohol that was. As she came closer and closer, her heart was about to jump out of her chest when Catra wasn’t moving.

It calmed down, but very, very insignificantly when Adora caught Catra’s chest slightly move up and down. She wasn’t... you know. Adora expected the worst. Kneeling down, Adora didn’t know where to start. She caressed Catra’s face gently. “Catra?”

She put her other hand on Catra’s shoulder, giving a small shake when the other girl didn’t wake up. “Catra, are you okay?” Scratch that. That was a dumb question. Of course she wasn’t fucking okay. Open your damn eyes, Adora.

This was bad. Really bad.

She needed to get Catra somewhere safe. Right, her house. She can fix her up there. Draping Catra’s arm over her shoulder, Adora bent over to pick her up. It was then that finally Catra seemed to have regained consciousness. “Back... for more?” she groaned out. Her voice was severely pained. Like saying those words took a few years off her life.

”It’s me,” Adora hoisted Catra’s body up, lifting her by the thighs. The best way to carry her back to her house was by piggyback. “I’m taking you home.”

”Fuck... you,” Catra grumbled into Adora’s shoulder. She was weak. She couldn’t stay awake again. Slipping out, those were her last words for now.

Adora didn’t seem to mind. She continued carrying Catra back, careful not to disturb her rest. She was tired, but what mattered most was getting Catra out of here. “Don’t worry,” Adora muttered under her breath. “I got you.”

A few blocks down, Catra seemed to come to once more. She wasn’t at the park anymore, and she certainly wasn’t laying down. “The fuck?” she whispered. “Who...?” Though her question was easily answered by the familiar scent.

”Don't worry, we’re almost there,” the voice in front of her replied.

“Why won’t you just leave me alone? Please, just for once.”

Adora found it difficult to breathe. Catra never pleaded like this before. “Not like this. I can’t when you need help.”

Catra dug her fingernails into Adora’s shoulders, but quickly let go when she lost the energy to hold on. “Not from you. Anyone else,” she slurred.

”What even happened to you, Catra? You’re... this is pretty bad.”

”None of your business. Let me go.”

”Come on.”

”It’s not even that bad. Don’t get your fucking panties in a twist.”

”Not that bad? Look at yourself...”

”Fucking... Leon can’t...” Catra huffed out. Talking was too hard. But she couldn’t stop. “Fight me one on one.” Her head was throbbing. It hurt to open her eyes. To move.

Fight? Adora sucked in a sharp breath. Why the hell was Catra getting in fights? With multiple people anyway? Well, that solved one question. “You still talk to Leon?” She felt herself get angry at the thought of someone hurting Catra. Because she’s already done enough damage herself.

Catra would slap her if she could. That was a dumb question. As if she would. “Hell no. Dumb fuck.” Okay, she couldn’t stay awake anymore. It was time to leave reality again. It wasn’t worth spending any more energy thinking about Leon.

Adora grimaced when she realized Catra fell asleep again. She couldn’t blame her though— Catra was in a bad state. “We’re almost there,” she reminded herself. “Just a little longer.”

She sighed in relief when she arrived at her house, struggling to walk up the porch. How far did she have to carry Catra? No, it didn’t matter. Gently putting Catra down, Adora fumbled to grab the house keys. She almost dropped them trying to fit the keys in her door.

Once she swung the door open, she picked Catra up once more, this time princess-style. Steadying her body by her back and knees, Adora stumbled through her own hallways. She was ready to give out at any moment, but decided to push on just a little more. For Catra.

Catra opened her eyes to a strangely familiar bedroom. They take a while to adjust to the light shining from beside her. As she looked closer. she saw Adora sitting at a desk. Catra sighed as she realized she was back. Back inside those recurring dreams she wished went away. The ones that haunted her nights every now and then. It was off putting however, when she felt pain. Usually things like that didn’t follow her inside her dreams. A heavy headache made it hard to focus.

The dreams she experienced all these years were the same. Adora’s in them, and Catra could do whatever she wanted. Say whatever and not experience the consequences. They always ended before she could feel better about herself though. She continued staring at the back of Adora, seemingly working on something with a small lamp luminating the dark room. This was different. Usually her dreams were a replay of an old memory, but then again, things can change. Why would she be in Adora’s room in real life anyway?

Oh man. She forgot. Catra had to wake up soon; the last thing she saw before passing out was being sprawled out on the sidewalk of a bad neighborhood. She had to wake up soon, but how? How was she gonna tell her damn body to wake up? This was a problem. Catra started hyperventilating, taking in short breaths. Adora perked up, dropping her pen. It left a loud clack as it hit the table. Turning around, she looked at Catra worriedly. “Catra?”

”Hey, Adora,” she scoffed. Another experience to hurt her even more had just started. Catra tried to sit up, but winced when a bruise acted up. Slightly annoying, but I guess it adds to the realism of the dream.

Adora hurried over to comfort Catra, pushing aside the chair she was just sitting on. “Catra, don’t. You’re hurt. Just stay there,” she hovered her hands over Catra. “Go back to sleep, okay?”

“I’m fine,” Catra brushed her off. It was fake anyway. “Why am I here?”

”What...?” Adora placed her hand on one of Catra’s arms. “I came to get you after you called me.”

Oh. So that’s why the dream put her here. How fucking pathetic. _“So I want to be with Adora, but instead I’m laying flat on my back, passed out in a drunken mess, at some dirty ass sidewalk? Nice life I got there.”_ It was sad, really. Dreaming you’re at a better place when you got one foot in the fucking grave.

”Oh, right. Yeah, I did.”

”Come on, you should-“ Adora started to guide Catra back down to the bed, but was instead yanked into a tight hug. “Catra?”

Catra shut her eyes hard, holding Adora close. It was customary in one of her dreams, really. A hug she yearned for was only offered to her in false realities. She buried her face in Adora’s shoulder, holding back tears. The warmth was unfamiliar. Usually contact felt empty. Fake. “I miss you. I miss you so, so fucking much.” 

She took a deep breath, taking in Adora’s scent. It was different from what she would always get. Instead of the old, nostalgic one, it was strangely different. Like the Adora now. Her presence was still unnaturally calming.

Adora’s eyes widened, but she still accepted the hug, wrapping her arms gently around Catra, careful not to hurt her. “I-I miss you too,” she was confused, yet relieved that Catra felt the same.

When they let go, Adora took a step back. “Look, you’re not doing so well. Just go back to sleep, okay? We can talk in the morning if you want.” As much as she wanted to hold Catra in her arms, it was better for her to be left alone. She was hurt and needed time to recover. “I’ll sleep in my parents’ room tonight.”

When she turned away, Catra caught her by the wrists. Gripping it with a trembling hand, she looked up at a conflicted Adora. “No, stay.”

”I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re not thinking straight,” Adora stammered out. Catra was making it hard, but she needed self control. Catra was still drunk for God’s sakes.

”It’s not like I’m gonna do anything.” Catra chuckled. _“It’s not like I can anyway.”_ Her dreams only allowed her to vent. To say words she never otherwise would let out her mouth. It was a good release, yet it stressed her out even more. She found herself saying things she didn’t even know she felt. “Please, stay.”

Adora sighed, finally giving in. “Okay, let me just finish my homework. It’ll only be a few more minutes.” Catra’s pleas were hard to ignore. Hard to reject, especially when she hadn’t heard that type of tone in years. The present only consisted of unnecessary fights and bickering.

Yeah, right. All they did was fight the moment they... reconnected? No, reunited. The thread that tied them together was still split.

How odd. Imagine waiting in your own damn dream. Whatever. Catra released her hold on Adora, letting her get back to her desk. She watched as the pen waved back and forth, Adora writing word after word. It seemed like she was working faster than before, now in a rush to finish up. The clock on the wall’s ticking and the scritching sound of the pen filled the silence in the room.

When the pen suddenly stopped, Catra found herself laughing when she saw Adora just sit there idly. Frozen on the spot, possibly debating how she would continue with the night. It was funny seeing her stiffen up. She was done, and now she had to go through with her promise. “Adora,” Catra called out.

Adora flinched, still facing forward. She didn’t turn around. “Yeah? Do you need something?” her voice was shaky.

”I know you’re done with your homework.”

”Yeah. I-I guess I am.”

“So...?”

It was then that Adora finally stood up. Her arms were glued to her sides, fists clenched tightly. “Right. I... I guess it’s time to go to bed.” She practically waddled across the bedroom towards her closet. She took off her jacket, tossing it in the laundry basket inside. Deciding not to change in front of Catra, she slowly made her way back to the bed. “Um...”

Catra laid down, rolling over to the wall’s side. Patting the space beside her, she had to hold back laughter. Adora’s face was as red as a beet. This wasn’t a problem for her before, but it was still funny. “Here.”

Adora pursed her lips, unsure of how to proceed. She slowly lowered her body towards the bed. “Uh... the bed’s kinda small. I haven’t gotten a new one.”

”You think I didn’t recognize it?”

”I’m just saying it might feel a little tight.” Adora lifted one leg over the bed, still nervous as it gave a creak when she pressed down on it. Every movement felt slow and painful. When she was finally on the bed, she didn’t know where to put... well, any of her body parts. Catra was facing the wall, yet Adora still felt immense pressure. Her body was tense from trying to not touch Catra.

Catra suddenly turned around, causing Adora to flinch. “What’s the big problem?” Catra giggled. “We used to do this all the time.” She paused after registering the words ‘used to’.

“My bad, I just... I...” Adora felt her stomach do flips. Why was it so awkward? Catra was right. They used to do this all the time. Adora turned away from Catra, now lying on her back. “I don’t know.”

“So...” Adora tried to break the silence. “Why’d you fight with that guy?”

”Nothing. It was dumb.”

”It’s gotta be pretty serious for you to fist fight someone for.”

”He just provoked me. Said some things I didn’t like, that’s all.”

”I see.”

Adora bit her lip while she debated whether or not she should ask the glaring question. Making up her mind, she took a deep breath. “Why... why did you call me?”

As much as she was glad it came, it also confused her. Why her? Why not anyone else, considering their current standing with each other? She felt relieved that Catra still thought of her as an option.

“Because I felt like it.” That wasn’t really a lie, nor was it wrong. Something compelled her to. Maybe because everyone else was gone and she had no one else to turn to. Well, she probably had other people, but Adora was the only one who came to mind. It didn’t matter anyway. She was still alone.

Catra climbed on top of Adora, startling the other girl. “Wha...?”

Resting her head on Adora’s chest, Catra wrapped her arms around her. She hid her face, and possibly her emotions. “I hate you.” Catra felt Adora’s rapid heartbeat from under her.

Being Catra’s body pillow wasn’t exactly what she had expected to be tonight. Catra’s words didn’t match her actions. Adora froze up. She didn’t know what to do. Hug her back? Thank her? All she could muster up was a weak “Oh.”

”I hope you die.”

Ouch, and yet Adora could only respond with another “Oh.” In all honesty, it was well-deserved. She knows she hurt Catra. The words were justified.

”And I hope your entire family gets carried away by ants.”

”Woah! What did my moms do?”

”Give birth to you.”

“Oh.”

”...But I think I’m crazy,” Catra said in a hushed voice. Like she didn’t want to tell Adora something.

”Why is that?”

Catra didn’t say anything else at first, and instead she stayed there, laying on top of Adora. Her eyes have been closed for a while now, and she weirdly felt tired. “Yeah, no. I’m for sure crazy.”

”Are you gonna tell me why?”

”Because I’m still in love with you.”

There it was. The heavy ‘L’ word. Adora laid there, shell-shocked. Her heart pounded and pounded— her body was basically short-circuiting. Catra’s words made her feel a certain way she couldn’t quite explain, though one strangely struck her as odd. ‘Still.’ Had Catra always been in love with her? Why didn’t she notice before? Regret crawls up her body.

Adora was conflicted. She was happy. Happy Catra still cared about her, but then Adora was also appalled. Appalled at herself for hurting someone who was in love with her so deeply.

Catra grimaced. She said it again. Though she says it in all her dreams, only to not get a reply. Nothing. Adora never said it back because Catra never heard it before. On one hand, she felt free to be able to say it, but on the other, it hurt to never get a real reply. She’d even take a rejection over nothing at all.

Though it was weird. The dream so far felt so damn real. The pain stabbing at her body, Adora’s touch, everything. Maybe it was a lucid one. She wanted to wake up, yet the moment felt too comforting to leave. Sometimes she wished these types of dreams never happened in the first place. They fed into her ever-growing anxiety. How can she ever move on when she returns to these fantasy worlds?

Adora hurt her so much, but why is it that she still holds on to her for dear life? People leave all the time, but Catra could never bring it to herself to forget one, simple person. A person she should never, ever think about again. The one who was a thorn on her side. Was? No, is. Every single time Catra does something, she always remembers an experience she and Adora had together.

Every single time she passed by something, she’d think, _“Adora would like this.”_ or _“This is Adora’s favorite.”_ The dumb blonde plagued her mind, and she hated it. When Adora left her life, she was gone for good, but the memories remained. No matter how hard Catra tried making new ones, the past always ended up catching up to her like some kind of sick joke.

”You... love me?” Adora slid a hand up to Catra’s head, mirroring the way she tenderly played with her hair after the gig. Her heart was about to burst out of her own chest.

Catra scoffed, shaking her head. “I always have, and I’m a damn fool.”

”...I love you too,” Adora softly whispered, Catra feeling the vibrations of her voice through her chest.

There it was. The words Catra thought she’d never hear. They hit her like a train, sending an overflow of emotions devouring her body. She finally looked up, meeting Adora’s eyes. Catra didn’t know whether to feel overjoyed, or to feel disdain. After all, this was just a dream. A fucking dream.

”No, you don’t. You don’t have to lie to make me feel better,” Catra said bitterly.

Adora softened her eyes, resting her hand on Catra’s back. “What makes you say that? I really do, even if it doesn’t look that way.” She didn’t realize it until Catra pointed it out herself. The feeling that weighed down on Adora all this time was finally named. Love.

Adora always loved Catra too. Not only as a friend, but also as a person. It was just that she couldn’t put her finger on it. But did their relationship really need to be labeled? They just cared for each other mutually. They were just... together. And that’s all they ever wanted and needed. “I love you,” she repeated. Saying those words felt right somehow.

”Fuck, you’re such an idiot,” Catra tried to pull away, but Adora kept her in place while laughing.

”An idiot that you love apparently,” she cracked up.

Catra couldn’t believe that Adora could be even more infuriating in a dream than in real life. “But you’re making it hard to.”

The two laid there together in silence after that, the words causing heavy tension. Adora took a deep breath, biding her time to think about what to say. Catra took it upon herself to restart the conversation. She asked again. The question she never gets an answer to. In a low voice, it felt like she was straining to say it out loud. “Why did you leave me?” It made her feel a little bit more woozy.

Adora flinched. There it was again. “I never left you. I don’t get why you always tell me that.”

”If you didn’t, then why did things turn out this way?”

She wasn’t wrong. But she also wasn’t quite right. The reason they ended up separated wasn’t that simple. Neither of them knew why, and didn’t know where to even start. Was it miscommunication? No, it was lack thereof.

“Is that why you’re mad at me? Because you think I left you?” Adora found it a little funny. A “haha we fucked up big time because of a small thing” kind of funny.

”Of course I wasn’t mad at you,” Catra scoffed, clenching the fabric of Adora’s shirt. “Well, not at first.”

”What?”

“I’m mad at myself. For not being good enough for you.”

Catra winced, her reply being put on blast inside her head. She was scared of confronting it; reality or not. Each day was a struggle trying to fight back those thoughts— pushing them back deep down inside to go on another day without knowing the reason Adora left her.

The words quickly cut through Adora’s heart. A clean slice that effective tore it apart. How could Catra ever think that? What did she do for her to come to that conclusion? Yet it was Adora’s fault. It was her fault for even making Catra think that way. That she wasn’t enough for her. It was far from the truth, and yet those thoughts were the same ones that held Catra back all these years.

Adora felt in that moment unforgivable. Irredeemable in fact.

So that was the reason all along. Catra thought Adora didn’t see her as enough. Just like Bow said— in a somewhat twisted way. Maybe he was right. Catra let all these things in the past few weeks happen because she thought it could bring them back together.

And that made Adora absolutely disgusted with herself. She was taking advantage of Catra, even if unknowingly.

“Catra, no,” Adora held Catra tighter, afraid that she might slip away once more. “No, no, no. You’re never not enough for me.” She didn’t know how to explain it. The only thing she knew was that Catra was wrong. “I even think you deserve more than me.”

Bursting out in laughter, Catra couldn’t steady herself. Was this her self-attempt at trying to make herself feel better? Was this a last-ditch effort to try and hold on to a hope that Adora still cares about her? Even so, it was pathetic.

”What’s so funny?”

”Just the fact that I almost believed that.”

”What?”

”How can you say that when you left me in the first place?”

”That again? Catra, please. Please tell me what makes you think that.”

”Isn’t it obvious?!” Catra snapped. Thinking about it hurt. Saying it out loud hurt even more. “That summer. That fucking summer. You left me to go be with your cool new Bright Moon friends. I saw you hanging out with them at _our_ diner. That wasn’t even the worst fucking part. I texted you. I texted you and you ignored it. Do you know how fucking awful it was to see you pick up your phone and set it back down after reading my message as if I didn’t matter? Fuck, you didn’t even reply that night either.”

Catra’s spiel of words sent Adora spiraling. They didn’t make sense. The summer she was referring to... Adora never hung out with anybody. Shit, she didn’t have time to even go on a coffee run. So what was Catra talking about? A few moments of pondering gave her her answer. “You... you’re wrong.”

”Fuck you. I know what I saw.”

”No, I wasn’t hanging out with anyone. That was my study group. I didn’t have time to hang out or play with anybody. Catra, you’d be the first person I’d go to anyway.”

”Study group at a diner? Don’t make me laugh.” That was an odd thing to say. Catra wondered how she thought of that answer herself. It was so dumb, yet so believable.

”The library was closed and we needed a spot to do our work. I suggested the diner.”

”Then what about the text?”

Adora paused. “I will admit that was on my end. I fucked up. I remember seeing your text that day, but then someone asked me to help them with a question. I forgot to answer.”

”What, so you just forgot about all my other texts? Fuck off.”

Cringing, Adora grit her teeth. “Yeah... I deserve that. Look, I made a mistake. I regret it with all my heart. But I just want you to know that it wasn’t on purpose. I really was too busy.”

As much as she hated the flimsy sounding excuse, how else would she explain it?

”Busy, busy, busy,” Catra mocked. “Too damn busy for your best friend. A simple one word response would’ve made me feel better, you know.”

”Yeah, you’re right, but it wasn’t easy to deal with the program, Catra. The workload was too much for me to juggle alongside my social life. I know it doesn’t really excuse what I’d do to you, but I want you to know why. Why I did what I did that summer. I really wanted to talk to you, but I couldn’t. It really stressed me out.”

“Was it worth it?”

No response. Though it still answered for Adora. “I guess so,” Catra sighed. “Wow, I feel just peachy, knowing a school is being put before me.”

”Catra, I worked hard to get into Bright Moon. But you were important to me too. You still are. I know I probably can’t make it up to you, but I just want you to know how I really feel about you. And that... I’m sorry. For everything. I hurt you, and I was wrong for that. I’d turn back time and try to change things, but they probably would turn out the same. If you let me... I promise I’ll always be there for you from now on. It’ll be different.”

Strangely, the apology felt long overdue, and didn’t ease any of Catra’s pains. “Things can change. I’ll do my best to be with you if you let me,” Adora looked at her hopefully.

Catra laughed, burying her face into Adora’s chest deeper. “Sure, sure,” she agreed noncommittally. This was all just a dream anyway. “Whatever the hell you want.” Growing drowsier by the minute, Catra found it hard to keep her eyes open. Maybe she was finally waking up. It felt like it dragging on for way too long anyway.

”Catra, I love you.”

Catra brushed it off. She knew this Adora was fake, though the night was strangely comforting. It eased the imminent pain soon to come. “I love you too,” she whispered. What wasn’t fake, however, was the confession.

The seemingly long night slowly faded away; becoming a faint memory. Hopefully Catra would forget it when she woke up, even if the dream wasn’t as bad as the others. She let the gentle movement of Adora’s chest moving up and down as she took shallow breaths lull her to ‘sleep’. Catra hadn’t felt this way in so long, and she really did miss it.

What’s left now was to deal with waking up on the dirty ass sidewalk miles away from home, possibly with passerbys staring at the sight of a teenager passed out with a bottle in her hand. What a life.

Catra felt herself drift away, eyelids becoming heavier and heavier until she stopped remembering how she fell asleep in the first place. Tomorrow was a problem sober Catra had to deal with. Not the drunk Catra now.

Mara jingled the keys to the front door as she turned around to check on Hope. “You got everything?” she grinned, putting the key in the knob.

Hope sighed as she walked up the porch. “Yep. I think I’m going straight to bed though. Do me a favor and wake up Adora for the day? It’s her turn to do laundry.”

”Sure, sure,” Mara tossed her keys on the table near the doorway.

Almost tripping over something as she headed straight towards her bedroom, Hope looked down at the obstacle. “Hm,” she took only a glance before not thinking much of it. Maybe Adora bought new shoes.

Mara took off her coat and took the stairs right behind Hope, taking a turn to reach Adora’s bedroom. The door was left slightly ajar, something uncommon. The room was still dark— curtains not opened. Adora definitely wasn’t awake yet. Walking past the suspiciously larger lump under the blanket, Mara yanked the curtains open, light spilling throughout the dark room.

”Wake up, sleepyhead!” Mara called out loudly. She chuckled to herself as she heard Adora stir from a slight distance yawning, but felt her heart drop at record speed when a different voice came out from behind her daughter.

The strange voice made her instantly whip her head around to see who the intruder was. “What the hell?” it groggily called out. The voice was raspy— and also somewhat reminiscent of an old visitor... Oh no.

Mara’s eyes widened as she saw the sight of Catra on top of her daughter, the blanket covering them slipping off the two. _“Oh no...”_

Adora finally woke up fully, letting out a gasp when she realized what the current situation was.

It was a three-way standoff between her, Catra, and her mom. How the fuck was she going to explain this?

Taking a big gulp to try to subside the growing knot in her throat, she weakly offered a greeting. “H-Hey, Mom...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're liking the series, please leave a comment/kudo! I also accept criticism/feedback! I appreciate you all for reading this trashfic! Thank you so so so much for the kudos and comments so far!! I look forward each time I update to your comments :)


	8. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, the two are put in a very odd position. Not only were they caught by Mara, how will Catra wiggle out of this one, seeing as her ‘dream’ was in fact reality?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg? what’s this? akureyri is finally almost finishing a fanfic??? this is a miracle... no but fr you should see the trail of unfinished work i left behind (on other sites too)

Catra shifted her head slightly from the way softer than expected surface she was currently lying on. Was concrete always this comfortable? Or was she officially losing her sanity? She scrunched her nose up at the very, very familiar scent she just picked up. Okay, now this was out of the ordinary.

Were those arms around her? Oh my God, did someone see her and then take her somewhere? Like a kidnapping? Abduction?! Catra found herself panicking a little inside as she thought of the worst possible situations she could’ve been in. She flinched a little when she heard a door creak open. So she was in a room. Wait, what the fuck? Whose room?

”Wake up, sleepyhead!” an also familiar voice bursted out, causing the ‘pillow’ from under Catra to stir slightly.

”What the hell...?” Catra replied on instinct. Mistake number one. You’ve gotta be joking me. Did she go home with someone last night? Frankly speaking, it was all a blur. It was then that the two senses she picked up on finally clicked. No. Please no.

Catra was two steps from having a mental breakdown. Well, maybe if she went back to sleep, she’d wake up somewhere else. Away from the hell she was about to experience. She shut her eyes tight, praying to a God out there to make her disappear. Permanently.

She waited. And waited... And waited. Nothing happened. Finally gathering the courage to look at the damn situation, she propped herself up.

“H-Hey, Mom...” Adora weakly greeted. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. This was the worst thing that could’ve happened, short of Catra instantly leaving after waking up. Like, it’s awkward enough to have Catra in her house, but being caught sharing a bed? Now? Not even that— Catra was fucking on top of her. You know damn well what it looks like.

She couldn’t say anything else. Turning her head briefly to Catra, it seemed that she shared the same sentiments. Catra was frozen in place, head directed towards Mara. As much as Adora enjoyed the position she was currently in, this was not the time or place to be fantasizing or daydreaming.

Adora stared at her mom, who was understandably bewildered. I mean, how would _you_ react to walking into your daughter’s room and catch someone laying on top of her? On her bed? Mara’s eyes darted between her and Catra, who was still probably processing the situation. Nobody moved a muscle, nor spoke a word for what felt like an eternity.

Mara didn’t expect to be completely blindsided first thing in the morning. She knew Adora and Catra were close, but not this close. Hell, especially not during this time. Weren’t they... I don’t know, hating each other? Mostly Catra, but still. What if she were home last night? Would this have happened? Mara felt sweat form all over her body. This was her own damn house, but why did she feel like she was intruding?

Finally, Mara took a cautious step back, hands up in the air defensively. “Uh...” she drawled, unsure of whether to be embarrassed or mad. Well, no, not mad; Adora was an adult. She can do whatever she wanted. Just... Catra? Mara swore they were just fighting. Was this how the new generation made up with each other? Or was it just them?

She took one more step back towards the door. “I’ll... leave you two... alone?” she questioned. Never in her life had this happened before. Maybe if she pretended like she didn’t see anything, it would all go away. Yes. Maybe.

Words getting caught in the growing knot in her throat, Adora gasped for air as nothing came out of her mouth. She tried again, but was too shocked to speak. Unintelligible grunts were the only things that she could make, causing more confusion for all three parties. “I.. Uh...”

Adora finally broke through the tense hold of fear and called out to Mara to try and clear up the situation. “Wait, Mom!” she shouted. “T-This... This isn’t what it looks like!”

As bad as it looked, it was definitely nothing near what Mara was thinking. They were just sleeping together. Not in that way. Like... actually sleeping together. In the same bed. In a very strange way— but just sleeping together nonetheless. “Mom!” she pleaded once more to no avail; Mara was already out the door.

The door was quickly slammed shut, footsteps being heard from the other side, fading away. Adora sighed. “Damnit...”

Catra slowly turned to face Adora. Her face was stricken with complete shock and panic; which was also understandable. She felt herself go through the five stages of grief. Maybe this was a super long dream. Or maybe she actually died on the sidewalk and this was heaven. No, why the fuck would being in Adora’s bedroom be heaven? It was more like hell. Wait.

She winced as a head-splitting headache washed over her body. This was definitely reality. Fuck. As moments passed, more and more memories of last night returned, causing Catra to panic even more. Adora watched worriedly as Catra strained to stay upright. Putting a gentle hand on Catra’s cheek, she stroked her face. “Are you okay?” The touch probably didn’t help, but maybe it would calm her down a little.

Nope. Instead, it did the exact opposite. Catra swatted the hand away, scrambling to get out of the bed. She fell off, landing on her ass with a loud thud. Adora followed, but less desperately. She threw the blanket to the side, reaching to see if Catra was hurt. “Hey, hey...” Adora hovered her hands over Catra only to have them slapped away once more.

“Don't fucking touch me,” Catra snapped, getting up from the floor by herself. She stumbled a little, placing a hand on a nearby desk as a brace as she focused on her spinning field of vision. “Fuck...”

Adora tried to wipe the stunned expression off her face, but it was clearly not working. Catra was acting like a completely different person than she was last night. Did she not remember? “Catra, last night...”

Catra widened her eyes, still leaning heavily on the desk. “No, no,” she bit her lip. “Last night never fucking happened.” It shouldn’t have. Her worst fear finally came true. Telling Adora. Having her know. “It never happened, got it?”

The burning pit in Catra’s stomach grew as each moment passed by. Was it the alcohol, or the feeling of impending doom catching up to her? She couldn’t tell. Either way, it was reminiscent of the fire that consumed her body back at the beach. The gig. Even last night.

“What?!” Adora blinked. She was taken aback, really. Why was Catra like this? As if they didn’t confess to each other last night. Did... did Adora do something wrong? Was she not supposed to say that she loved Catra back? No, that would've been weird if she didn’t. “What are you talking about?”

She was so close to finally fixing things with Catra. Adora thought last night was the final push they needed to get back together. Catra even accepted the apology and agreed to try again. So what was all of this now?

Catra opened her mouth to reply, but hesitated for just a moment. “Forget about last night...” she grit her teeth. “Please.”

Adora took a step towards Catra, trying to stabilize her. “But what you said...”

”I wasn’t thinking straight. That’s all it was, okay? Just... don’t.”

”Why not? I thought we were going to move on and try to fix things.”

”There’s nothing to fucking fix,” Catra’s voice was trembling. All she wanted was to get away from Adora. She couldn’t bring herself to face her, ducking her head low to avoid eye contact.

”Do you not want me in your life then?” Adora said firmly. She wanted answers, no more beating around the bush. “Was what you said a lie?” Her last sentence made her feel a little weak. It hurt to say, but she needed to know. “Just say so, and I’ll leave. You’ll never have to see me again. Just say the words.”

Catra didn’t reply at first. “...It wasn’t a lie,” she admitted, even if reluctant. “I just need time to think.” She’s had four years. Four whole years, yet that time didn’t give the clarity she sought for so desperately.

So why did she feel guilt, pushing Adora away like this? Guilt and fear deriving from the muddled feelings spiraling inside both her mind and throughout her body made her quite uneasy. She shouldn’t feel this way. It’s not her fault things turned out like this, right? 

Adora stood tall, yet felt so, so small. Her heart ached for whatever reason. She was glad that Catra said that, but also somewhat hopeless. No, she shouldn’t expect Catra to just instantly change her mind. She was right— she did need time to think about it. Adora shouldn’t push Catra, especially considering the past.

Her friends were right. Last night was the talk they needed all along, yet Catra’s still road blocking. It wasn’t exactly her fault, but it definitely was a step forward. One step was all they needed. If they could do that, then anything was possible, right? Adora snapped out of the trance for a moment just to glance at the clock sitting on her night stand. “Damn!” she cursed, throwing herself towards her closet door in a hurry. She swiped a few clothes from inside, dashing towards the hallway afterwards. “I need to get ready for school,” she leaned her head back just before leaving her room. “Can we talk about this later?” Adora hoped.

Catra said nothing, still not looking up. Adora didn’t wait any longer for a reply and made her way towards the shower. As much as she wanted to spend more time with Catra, school was going to start very soon. She caught her mom very stiffly making coffee as she skimmed past the stairs. Right. Adora still had to explain herself. Maybe after school. Now wasn’t a good time.

Cringing, she locked the bathroom door. Adora tossed the hastily gathered clothes on the counter, stripping at record speed and jumping in the shower just as fast. _“Catra needs time...”_ Adora thought to herself. Well, she understood. Understood that Catra is most likely not ready to try things again. And that was fine. Adora didn’t want to push Catra any more than she’s already had, afraid of sending her toppling off the edge.

Adora on the other hand was excited. She’s been praying this day would come since... forever. Minus the whole ‘my mom thinks we slept together but we did but also not in that way’ situation. Her mind was muddled from the hectic morning, but it was okay. Things were going to be okay.

Things were not fucking okay. They were far from it. Catra held herself back from punching a damn hole in the drywall. Adora loved her back. Great. But that shit can change at any moment. Is it really worth it to get burned a third fucking time? She bit her nails as she paced back and forth in the room she spent half her childhood in.

Adora came for her. No, Catra shook her head profusely. That was the bare minimum, considering that she was shit faced drunk last night. Any decent person would’ve done what Adora did. Then again, that girl was far from decent.

Catra sighed, pulling bits and pieces from the conversation they had last night. It was dumb, idiotic. She couldn’t believe she jumped to conclusions. Well, no. She didn’t. Adora was showing signs of fucking ghosting her for God’s sakes. Was Catra really that wrong for thinking the worst? Adora even said so herself at the party. Catra groaned, headache pulsing. She couldn’t think well with a killer hangover.

Okay, but Adora’s trying really hard to make things better. Effort counts for something, right? Or... Maybe she just misses the company. _”Stop fucking thinking this dumb shit,”_ Catra swept her bangs back. This time they stayed in place. She took a look down at herself, clenching her jaw at the unruly sight. She was a mess, inside _and_ outside. What a surprise. Skulking over to the open closet, she rummaged through the piles of clothing to look for a change of outfit. It was long overdue.

Adora wouldn’t mind. Even if she did, it’d be too late anyway. Catra picked out a decent pair of clothes and returned to the mirror she had just been staring at. She really needed a shower, but a change of clothes was the best thing she could get at the moment. Desperate times call for desperate measures. At least Adora had to decency to not change Catra’s clothes when she wasn’t conscious.

Pulling the dirty shirt off, Catra flinched when she heard the door creak open once more. She wrestled her head free from under the fabric to see a mortified Adora, whose hair was still slightly damp from a shower. Her face was contorted with embarrassment, shame, and shock. A triple combo. “I...” Adora felt heat crawl up all over her body, the sight of Catra’s exposed skin bringing back unsavory— no, _very_ savory memories. “Uh... I... Um...” she stammered, stumbling over her fragments of what could’ve been words.

Catra never felt so confused in her life. What the fuck was Adora so flustered for? “Can you close the damn door?” she cut in, gesturing towards the door behind Adora. “And stop staring, you fucking perv.” She watched as Adora stood there, feet solidly planted on the floor.

”Adora!”

Adora shook herself from the stage-fright like petrification, reaching for the knob behind her. She closed the door a little too hard, house frame rattling in the process. Adora put a hand over her eyes, also turning around to avoid ogling Catra. Wait, she didn’t need to cover her eyes if she was facing away.

Catra could swear she heard Adora’s bones creak as the blonde moved about. She sighed and continued to change out of the grimy old clothes. She dusted her skin off for any lingering dirt accumulated from the stupid brawl she had last night. Watching as Adora’s shorts fall after pulling them up, Catra rolled her eyes. She bent down to pick them up and heard Adora make some weird noise she had never heard before in her lifetime. “Why are you still looking? Jesus, can I have some privacy for just one second? Only one. That’s all I’m asking for.” Catra tightened the strings of the shorts, pulling them and tying a somewhat long knot. This time they stayed in place.

”I didn’t mean to! I just heard something fall and—“ Adora sputtered, wildly waving her hands in defense. _“Oh my God, now Catra really thinks I’m actually some fucking perverted ass freak!”_

“Just... go away. Don’t you have classes to go to?” Catra slid the obviously oversized shirt over her body. It was what she would wear, but still off putting nonetheless. “You’ll be late if you keep staring at my ass.”

”I just wanted to say bye before I left the house,” Adora huffed. “Is it safe to look?” she meekly asked, scared of making another mistake of turning around too early and catching another glimpse.

”No, don’t look at me,” Catra smoothed down her newly acquired shirt, frown forming on her face. “Go.” Why in the world was she still here? She was fussing about being late just a few minutes ago, now she wants a goodbye kiss or something? How clingy.

”What?” Adora raised a brow. “You’re still changing? How long do you take?”

”I’m done, but I don’t want you to see me. Simple as that.”

Adora spun on her heels. “Why?” She recoiled a little in regret. Catra _just_ told her to not turn around, and yet look at her. She never fails to fuck up.

”Just cause,” Catra scoffed. She paused before saying whatever obscene thing was bound to come out sooner or later. For the first time in her entire life, she felt too tired to argue. Too drained. Catra pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a deep sigh. “So what are you still standing there for? You want a goodbye kiss or what?” That last sentence wasn’t meant to come out of her mouth.

Adora perked up, a little excited almost. “Really? A-Are you sure...?” 

“I was joking, you idiot,” Catra replied with an ice cold tone.

Visibly disappointed, Adora let out a small “oh.” She finally backed up, just stopping short at the doorway. “Well, uh...” she awkwardly fumbled for words. “I’ll go now then...?” I mean, what else would she do? Stay and beg?

”Go,” Catra repeated for the umpteenth time. How many times was she going to have to say it for Adora to fucking listen? Jesus. She sighed in relief when Adora finally disappeared down the hallway, and presumably out the front door when she heard a click shortly after. It was her time to go too. Stopping almost instantly after one step, Catra turned her head to the odd object that caught her eye. She swore she saw herself for a second.

Catra stepped closer to what seemed like a photo frame. Picking it up with a heavy hand, Catra tilted it to get a better look. Once the glint was wiped off, she did a double take when she realized what was framed. It was an old picture. Not just any, though. It was a shot of Catra and Adora just before summer break. The last time they really hung out. Catra scrunched her face as she stared at the picture. She didn’t keep her copy because she thought she looked bad.

It was a while ago, but she still remembered that day like it was in the back of her head. Why did Adora have this laying around? It was the only framed picture in her room. Catra turned around to study the wall of photos next to the bed. She subconsciously traced her hand over the photos she remembered being in. Yeah, no, that one picture was the only one that was framed, _and_ sitting on her desk. And the others that they were in together had this weird outline on the borders that made each stand out from the rest.

It was surreal seeing these old memories again. Though she didn’t forget any of them. Maybe buried, but definitely didn’t forget. Catra had her own collection of pictures, but those were quickly thrown in the attic for storage. She didn’t want to admit it, but she found herself reminiscing the old times when things get rough. It was far from comforting, but still made her feel something.

Perhaps... Did Adora miss her? No, no, she probably didn’t. Catra never gave anyone a reason to anyway. She had always wondered how people remembered her. Saw her.

A few knocks at the door throws her out of focus, startling Catra. “Hello?” Mara called out. She made the mistake of not knocking earlier, and wasn’t planning on repeating it once more. It was divine punishment for not respecting privacy. “Are you there, Catra?”

”Yeah, I am,” Catra turned away from the photo wall. She wasn’t keen on talking to Adora, but Mara was always welcome. “You can come in.”

”So...” Mara shifted her eyes as she inched ever so slightly towards Catra, arms behind her back. “Um... Where do I even start with this?”

”I don’t know either,” Catra shrugged in response. “Don’t ask me.”

“Were you looking at those?” Mara nodded her head towards the wall behind Catra. “You know, Adora only started putting those up last year.”

”Hm?” that last sentence piqued Catra’s interest. “What do you mean?”

Mara chuckled, easing up a little, but still keeping a slight distance from Catra due to awkwardness. “She came to me one morning and asked where all the pictures I kept of you two together were. Confused the heck out of me.”

Catra quirked a smile on her face. “What a weirdo.”

”After I told her where I kept them, she started decorating her room with those old things. I still have no idea why. Collages aren’t exactly her thing.”

”Nah, she’s not into the arts and crafts scene.”

”I figured. That’s why I can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve been asking her, but she always beat around the bush. How odd, am I right?”

”Yeah, yeah,” Catra looked down. This talk about Adora made her feel weird. Uncomfortable almost. The fact that they were bonding over her was... ugh.

Mara noticed, and offered a change in scenery. “Are you hungry? I can whip up something for breakfast if you want... oh!” she gasped. “Don’t you have school too? I can’t believe I forgot. Do you want me to drive you there?”

Pursing her lips, Catra shook her head. “Not today.” She didn’t elaborate, but Mara still understood. She always did. Catra was quite fond of Mara, seeing her as an extended family member. Adora once had the same privilege, but that was lost years ago.

Mara extended her hand towards Catra. “Breakfast it is then. Maybe it’ll cure your hangover.”

”How...?” Catra still took her hand, getting up from the bed cautiously. “How did you know?” Denying it was already an option long gone. Great. Let’s hope Mara doesn’t think any less of Catra now that she found out. Catra didn’t have much of a problem avoiding that type of stuff, but things haven’t been exactly normal lately.

The first few times Catra drank turned her off completely from drinking period. At first, she thought she’d get used to it and enjoy it like the rest of her friends, but that never came. Instead, she grew to dislike it more and more. It didn’t make her feel ‘good’ like everyone had told her their experience was.

It didn’t matter much anyway. Alcohol was and is a big stigma. It wasn’t really worth the trouble it could bring to your life. It was just a minor annoyance that Catra didn’t have another thing in common with her friends.

”I can smell it on you, Catra,” Mara grinned. “Following in Adora’s footsteps now?”

”Never.”

Leading Catra to the kitchen, Mara pulled out a seat for the girl to sit in. She placed a cup of water in front of Catra and set off to prep breakfast. “Do you want my famous pancakes? Or do you want to switch it up with bacon and eggs?” she bent down to grab a pan from the cupboard under the stove.

Catra shrugged. She was already taking a trip down memory lane, so why not experience the whole ride? “I’ll take the pancakes, please.” Just sitting in the kitchen brought back some strong nostalgia and memories of the buried past. It actually felt somewhat nice sitting here again.

”So you _do_ know how to be polite.”

”Of course. Code-switching at its finest.”

”Mhm,” Mara hummed as she took out the batter from beside her. “How’s life been going since we last talked? It’s been a while.”

”If you count a few weeks as a while, can then sure. I’ve been doing just great. Life’s never been better,” Catra returned, quite bitterly might I add. She wasn’t too fond of talking about personal issues. Being closed off was second nature due to the fear of not being accepted. That’s a general explanation, but it also goes deeper than that.

Catra just didn’t feel comfortable sharing things about herself. Sure, sometimes it makes her feel better, but there’s always this strange, strong tinge of regret afterwards. Regret of telling someone else her thoughts. It plagued most of her social history. Even opening up to Scorpia was a difficult task, and Scorpia’s... well, you know, Scorpia.

“Ouch.”

She groaned when she realized she was being touchy with Mara. Taking a sip of water, Catra apologized. “Sorry, still... you know.”

”I get it. How was the gig? I heard from Adora and her friends that it went really well. I have a gut feeling they might have been exaggerating though.”

”Eh,” Catra nonchalantly shrugged. “It was alright. The crowd liked it, I guess.”

”Did you all celebrate afterwards then? For having a successful first gig?” Mara stirred the mixture she had just finished prepping during their conversation.

”...No,” Catra replied a bit late. “We didn’t.”

”Hm, well, I swore I saw bite marks and hickies all over Adora that night,” Mara teased. “I wonder what that’s about.”

Spitting out her drink, Catra quickly wiped her mouth and the table. “Uh, yeah, that’s really weird. I don’t know about that either. I went straight home after the performance. You should ask Adora about that, not me.”

”Oh, trust me,” Mara scoffed. “I tried. She was all evasive and stuff, saying a cat attacked her. Can you believe that?”

”Wow, um... no, not really. That’s a pretty bad excuse.”

”Right?! I expected her to be a better liar as she got older, but it just gets worse and worse. Remember the time she took the fall for you when you broke that vase?”

”Yeah— wait, you knew? I thought...”

”I could hear you two bickering upstairs. I figured I could’ve played along to make you feel better. It was nice seeing Adora care about you so much though.”

”Were you really not mad about us breaking the vase though?”

Mara threw her head back laughing. “Oh, I was furious. That vase was very expensive _and_ limited edition. But kids will be kids. You live and learn, right? At least you two were careful afterwards.”

”God, my aunt would’ve whooped me to the moon and back,” Catra rolled her eyes. “Probably twice.”

”I remember meeting her a few times. Scary lady, yeah. I was even shaking in my boots when all we did was exchange pleasantries... don’t tell her,” Mara put a finger to her lips.

A grin was plastered on Catra’s face. “I’d rather do a backflip into the Grand Canyon than willingly talk to her. Glad she’s out of my house now.”

Setting a plate with a stack on pancakes on top down on the dinner table, Mara took a seat parallel to Catra. She settled down before clearing her throat. “Enjoy.”

”Thanks,” Catra dug in, enjoying each and every single bite she took. “They still taste exactly how I remember it.”

”And how’s that?”

”Amazing.”

”Nice save,” Mara leaned back, taking a sip of her unfinished coffee. “Now that you’re chowing down...” she looked up from the mug. “You mind answering a few of my questions?”

”Eh, I knew this was coming,” Catra said through her rapid chewing. “But... it depends, I guess.”

”I’ll get straight...” Mara held a hand over her mouth, suppressing a giggle. “Sorry. Anyway, I’ll get straight to the point. Did you two already... uh, make up?”

”Not exactly,” Catra shook her head. She wasn’t lying this time. Sure, they talked, but that was all. Nobody took the next step or action to mend the broken bond. Not yet, anyway. She was still mulling over the options.

”So you were just... having fun?” Mara didn’t know how else to word it without sounding too direct or aggressive. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that; I just think...”

”Mara!” Catra felt her face get flushed. “No, we didn’t fuck. We just slept together.”

”Is that also a slang for making love? Because I assume—“

”Noooo!” Catra waved a dismissive hand. “We literally slept together. Like shared a bed. That’s it. Nothing else.”

”Right, okay. Then were you the one that left those marks on Adora a few days ago?” As painful as it was to ask, she was curious. Just a little.

Catra stared at her, dumbfounded. Mara had never been this ‘nosy’ before. “Uh...” Catra searched her mind for an adequate response, but nothing came up. “That may or may not have been me. I don’t know, you should ask her.”

”Lord, your lying is as bad as Adora’s.”

Sighing, Catra brushed off the comment. It was only a fling anyway. No strings attached at all. “So, if you two didn’t make up... will you? Are you thinking of redoing things with her?” Mara took another sip of her coffee to fill the silence that followed after the question. “Catra?”

”I don’t know,” Catra put her fork down. She was finished with her food at this point. Saying ‘I don’t know’ over and over frustrated her. Not because she was being flippant with her replies, but because she actually didn’t know what to do. It sucked to say the least. “Sorry.”

”I don’t know what you’re saying sorry for,” Mara chuckled. “Then how about answering a simple yes or no question? Maybe that will give you an idea of what you want.”

”Sure, go for it.”

”Do you miss Adora?”

Catra sat there without a reply for a few seconds. The answer was obvious, but she didn’t know why. “Yeah,” she paused. Admitting it to someone lifted a weight that was crushing her conscious, but only for a fleeting moment. “I do...” she trailed off, looking blankly at Mara.

She did in fact miss Adora, but that wasn’t all. Remember the bomb she dropped last night? Yeah, that shit. Sure, Adora might’ve missed and loved her too, but there’s still some glaring questions. Could and would she treat Catra right? Could she keep her promise?

And... can Catra trust her? Not just Adora, but herself. Can Catra even trust herself to make the right decision? Because clearly following both her heart and gut yielded disastrous results. Is it even worth it to try again? This time, her body was screaming at her to say yes. Her mind, on the other hand, was pulling her back, saying ‘no, that’s a horrible idea.’ You know, considering Adora’s past transgressions. Not that big of a deal.

Mara didn’t say anything afterwards, just giving that same gentle smile that seemed to give Catra the same sense of comfort time and time again. “Since you’re not doing anything today, why don’t you help me with this week’s groceries? It’ll only take an hour or so out of your day. I’ll even buy you food if your choosing.”

”Say no more,” Catra was already standing, ready to go.

Dashing across the aisle, Catta held a party sized bag high above her head. The sound of her footsteps made Mara look up from the produce section. “Yoooo!” Catra called out excitedly. “Can we get this?” she bounced on her heels while she waited for an answer.

”Of course,” Mara bagged a few greens, placing it in the shopping cart beside her. “Is that all you’re gonna buy though? Snacks?”

Catra quirked a brow in response. “Actually, I’m gonna be right back. You gave me an idea,” she walked away as quickly as she came. Mara watched in confusion.

”I did?” Mara checked an item off her shopping list. “Uh...” It was probably best not to ask anymore questions today.

Humming as she walked from aisle to aisle, Catra finally settled down when she reached the candy section. “It’s not much, but...” she muttered. “It’s a start.” She grabbed two packs of the candy Scorpia ever so adored. Now to think of an apology. Would she even accept it?

Catra couldn’t help but worry. Maybe Scorpia finally got tired of Catra taking advantage of her kindness and friendship. Maybe she finally learned how to move on; something Catra has yet to do herself. This was an obstacle for her. Communication was hard in of itself, but imagine needing it when it really matters. Not exactly helpful.

As Catra stared at the candy bags hanging on the hooks, she pondered how she would go about finally facing Scorpia. It was long overdue at this point. The last time they talked face to face was before the gig. Then... nothing. Radio silence. Well, mostly from Catra. She was scared of confrontation. Scorpia had been texting her every now and then to check in, but the other girl hasn’t replied. Maybe that was worrying.

Actually, it was definitely worrying. Catra groaned as she ran a hand down her face in exasperation. _“I’m such an idiot!”_ This was the second day in a row she was absent from school. Scorpia was for sure going to be mad. Entrapta probably updated her on Catra though, considering they had met up yesterday. Was it too late to say sorry?

How would she start the conversation? Walk up to her all like, ‘hey, sorry for ghosting you, please forgive me?’ Hell no! That’d never fly. Catra was never good at sincere apologies. Words weren’t her forte either. She was more of a... actions shows her feelings type of person. It was hard to explain. The only way to know Catra’s thoughts was to observe her interactions. It wasn’t exactly a good thing, since a lot of people don’t realize things unless explicitly told, but most of her friends got the gist of it.

”Fuck!” Catra suddenly kicked the bottom of the rack, startling nearby customers. She didn’t care though. She had bigger issues on hand than scaring some folks or causing a mini scene. “I swear, this is some bullshit right here.”

Adora twirled her pen mindlessly as she stared at the desk in front of her. It was already lunchtime, yet she still couldn’t get her mind off of Catra. Yeah, this was a regular occurrence, but this time it was multiplied ten-fold. She saw Bow and Glimmer approach her, but her brain didn’t register the situation. She continued being lost in her dense thoughts before Glimmer gave her a little shake on the shoulder.

Snapping out of her trance, Adora looked around frantically to get ahold of her surroundings. “What the...?!” she blinked. “Oh, it’s just you guys.”

”We’ve called you like a million times, Adora!” Bow crossed his arms. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

Adora hesitated before telling them the truth. It wasn’t really asking them for advice. More like... a status update. Still, why did she feel so uncomfortable giving the news? “Uh... I gotta tell you something.”

”Yes? What is it?” Glimmer sighed. “Come on, spit it out now!”

“Catra...andImayormaynothavesharedabedandsaidIloveyoutoeachotherlastnight,” Adora mumbled, her best friends clearly not catching the words that had just whizzed past their ears.

”What the fuck did you just say?”

”Catra and I may or may not have shared a bed together last night...” Adora said a little louder.

”Adora...”

”But we said ‘I love you’ to each other!”

”Excuse me?”

”We talked like you said to! I think we cleared up most things. I... I promised her that this time will be different and that I’d be there for her. Last night, she agreed and all, but the next morning she tried kicking me out of my own house!”

”Yeah, um,” Bow raised a brow, dropping his stance. “You’re not exactly making that much sense right now, Adora. You might want to start from the beginning.”

”Right, right,” Adora took a deep breath, pausing for just a moment. “Catra called me last night. I didn’t know why at first, but I had a feeling something was off. When I went to check on her, she was passed out or something with a bottle in her hand. A little beat up too. She didn’t look good.”

”What a surprise. Catra not looking perfect?”

”Glimmer, shut the fuck up,” Bow shushed her. “Adora’s trying to tell us a damn story.”

”Anyway, I brought her over to my house. I couldn’t just leave her outside, especially not like that. When she woke up, she started acting all weird to me. Like she was hugging me, saying things I thought would never come out of her mouth.”

”Such as...?”

”Well, ‘I love you’ is a pretty good example, no? I didn’t even know she loved me this whole time. I feel like such an idiot for not realizing it sooner!”

”Wait, you... you didn’t know? At all?”

”No.”

”Oh my God, you dumb bi...”

Bow covered Glimmer’s mouth with a sweaty hand. “Uh, keep going!”

”So I told her that I love her too. She seemed to calm down after that, and we started talking about what happened during that summer. You know, where we...” Adora’s voice softened at the end. “You get the point.”

”Okay, so what’s the issue?”

”I’m getting there,” Adora nodded. “The next morning, when we woke up, I tried talking to her again. She panicked and everything, telling me to leave and go away. I had no idea what the hell was even going on.”

”That’s weird. She was drunk, right? Maybe she didn’t remember. I’d be scared as fuck too if I woke up in your room... in your bed, not to mention.”

“Yeah, I thought about that, so I tried reminding her. I asked her if last night was all a lie to her. That seemed to jog her memory. Thankfully, she said no, but also that she needed more time to think about what had happened.”

“She said that after accepting your promise? Okay, now I’m really banking on the thought that she was piss drunk.”

”What, so that night wasn’t supposed to happen?”

”Yep. Maybe she wasn’t thinking straight that night, I don’t know. Bottom line is, she’s not ready to move on. Or try again with you. That’s what I’m getting from what you’re telling me right now.”

Adora groaned, leaning her head on her palm. “You think I didn’t get that?” She closed her eyes, trying to calm her restless spirit. “So what? Do I just wait now? I mean, I can, but... what if she changes her mind? Or doesn’t get back to me at all?”

”Then it’s both of your losses,” Bow shrugged. “I’m sorry, but you two had so many chances to make up like regular people, but look where you guys are at now. It’s gonna take a whole lotta effort to fix the mess you made.”

“It’s just... I don’t know how to show her that I really care. Yeah, I apologized, but I have a feeling she doesn’t believe it.”

”Just give her space, okay? She needs it. It’s the least you can do for her anyway,” Glimmer patted Adora on the shoulder. “You got through the hardest part without us,” she softly smiled.

”Wouldn’t have been hard if she listen-“ Bow stopped talking when Glimmer shot him a hard glare. “Never mind.”

”Anyway,” Glimmer continued for him. “Don't beat yourself up over it. Things are different now, act like it. Staying in the past won’t help when Catra clearly doesn’t like talking about it.”

Adora kept silent, only nodding along to Glimmer’s words. Maybe if she bided her time, it would all be okay. She and Catra will finally be friends again. Friends. The word felt wrong to say, as if Adora wanted more than that. She couldn’t describe what she was yearning for, however. It was a strange feeling, one that added on to the others that plagued both her mind and heart.

Could she even want more? As in, was it right to? Friends seemed like the only thing she deserved. Maybe she didn’t deserve the title of ‘best friend’ anymore. Maybe being friends was the closest Catra would allow Adora to be to her. And for some reason, that thought hurt. It felt wrong too. Adora felt selfish for wanting more. She felt selfish for wanting forgiveness.

Scorpia scratched the back of her head as she mindlessly wandered the neighborhood just beside her home’s. It was the same walk everyday, so thinking about other things was common. _“She wasn’t at school today either,”_ she sighed. Scorpia didn’t know whether to be frustrated, mad, or just plain worried about her friend. All three perfectly described her current situation.

She was relieved when Entrapta told her that Catra seemed fine the other day, just a little out of it. That Adora girl really wasn’t good for Catra. All that’s happened between them have been chaotic, yet they still were drawn in by each other. It was beyond strange. Jolting from the sudden buzz coming from the phone in her hand, Scorpia raised it up to see what was going on.

Her face lit up when she noticed it was a text from Perfuma. They’ve been hitting it off lately, growing closer and closer every passing day. It was an exciting development to say the least. Scorpia almost tripped over a stray branch while replying the the text. Looking up for a moment, she did a double-take when she saw Catra lounging around on her porch, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

Scorpia wasn’t expecting this. “Catra?” she took a step forward.

Catra flinched, gripping the bag she had in her hand a little tighter. _“Fuck, she’s really mad.”_ She expected pretty much close to nothing, but it actually happening felt awful to deal with. Heartbeat quickening, Catra stammered as she tried to grasp for words to say to her very confused friend. That was also probably fuming at her. Oops. “Heeey, Scorpia...” she called out. Catra was literally shaking in her boots at this point. Well, she was wearing sneakers, but you get the reference. “Uh...”

”Where have you been?” Scorpia put a hand on her hip, expression unreadable. “No calls, texts, nothing? I thought you were better than that.”

Ouch, that was quite a burn. Catra winced in response. “Yeah...” she sucked in air through her teeth, looking away. “I wasn’t particularly having a good time.”

”You know I always have your back no matter what happens, and if you wanted to be alone, I’d understand too. You really worried me there.”

”Yeah, yeah, I know. I fucked up big time.”

”Is that all you wanted to say?” Scorpia quirked a brow up. A text would’ve been more of Catra’s thing if so. Maybe a phone call if she was really feeling bad.

“Well,” Catra said slowly, rubbing her thumb against a finger. “No. I’m here because...” Here it comes. Why was it so awkward to say? Catra shook off the intrusive thoughts. “I’m sorry.”

”Huh?”

Catra flinched, but relaxed when she realized Scorpia wasn’t fishing for elaboration. She was genuinely confused. “I’m sorry about the way I’ve been acting lately. I was... am a big fucking idiot,” Catra chuckled. “It wasn’t fair to you.”

Scorpia softened her gaze briefly. “Catra...”

Catra avoided eye contact, looking down. She didn’t know what Scorpia would say next. She was never good at these types of things. Maybe that wasn’t a good enough apology. _“Shit, I probably should’ve looked up guides to saying sorry beforehand.”_ What if Scorpia doesn’t accept it? Would things be different? Ugh, that was a bad thought.

Maybe this was a bad idea after all. No, no, no. If Catra didn’t apologize at all, it’d just make the whole situation worse. Something is better than nothing, right? Even if that ‘something’ was worth a pile of shit. God, why was this so hard?

”...Thanks,” Scorpia continued. She was proud. Proud of Catra for attempting to make things right with her. Then again, she couldn’t stay mad. Catra’s always had her back, and vice versa. This was just a bump in the road that they shared together. They were bound to reconnect sooner or later. “I’m glad you realized that.”

“A-And I got these for you,” Catra reached the hand that was holding the bag out towards Scorpia. It dangled off the slightly trembling hold Catra had on it. “They’re you’re favorite.”

”Ooh, really?” Scorpia took the bag to examine the contents inside. Her lit up the same exact way it did when she got that text from Perfuma earlier. “You know me so well.”

”That’s what friends are for, right?” Catra quipped. Turns out this wasn’t so bad. She felt a small burden lift from her chest. Maybe Catra should stop worrying about everything all the time. Most of the things she thinks the worst could happen don’t even remotely come true. It stressed her more than prepared her for the imminent future.

The two stood there in silence for a few seconds, just staring at each other. Catra sighed and opened her arms out. “Fine. Just this once, got it? Don’t count-“

Scorpia didn’t wait for her to finish the sentence and scooped her up in a big hug. She’s surprised when she feels Catra subtly return it. Wrapping her arms around Catra, Scorpia squeezed her tight. “I hope you learned you lesson,” she lightly teased.

”Nope. Not even close.”

”What did I expect from you?”

”Too much apparently.”

Setting Catra down, Scorpia gestured towards her house. “Wanna hang out? Or are you busy today?”

“Nah, I’m free.”

“What do you want to do?” Scorpia asked as she guided Catra to her room. “We could watch a movie, T.V show, go out somewhere...” she trailed off.

”You mind if we just chill today? Like just talk?”

”Sure, that’s fun too.”

Scorpia set the bag down on the floor, but not before taking a bag of her beloved candy out first. Settling on one side of the bed, she popped the bag open and tossed one in her mouth.

Catra grimaced. “Gross, what did I say about eating on your bed?”

“Hey, it’s my bed.”

”And I share it? Come on, what if bed bugs or shit get inside?”

”Fine, fine,” Scorpia begrudgingly hopped off and trudged over to her desk, pulling out a chair to sit on. “I’m not even that much of a messy eater.”

”Hell no! You literally dropped a piece on the floor just now!” Catra pointed towards her feet.

”Oh,” she picked it up and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. “So how’s life going?”

”Im pretty sure you can tell from how the week’s been going,” Catra rolled her eyes, stretching out on the bed. “But otherwise, not much.”

”You still hung up over Adora?” Scorpia bluntly asked, almost giving Catra a straight up heart attack.

”What? No,” she replied a little too quickly. “I’m fine. We don’t have to talk about her anymore. I know it makes you a little mad anyway.”

”I’d rather get it over with than have it draw out for another hundred years.”

”You don’t have to do this for me.”

”Come on, Catra. I know you want to talk about it.”

”Damnit,” Catra cursed under her breath. “Not that badly, but if you insist...”

”I’m just trying to help. Not that you’ve taken any of my advice so far.”

”Low blow, but I get it.”

”So you got three whole days to think about this. What do you have so far?”

“Nothing. Much less than I started with, to be exact.”

”How does that even work?”

”I spent the night over at Adora’s yesterday.”

Scorpia instantly frowned. “Oh, ma’am... Did you guys finally bury the hatchet?”

”Tried to.”

”What do you mean?”

”I thought I was dreaming that night. I said some things I shouldn’t have. Things I never could tell her before,” Catra added. “I told her that I love her.”

Taken aback, Scorpia paused to process the new information given to her. This was never brought up before by Catra. She didn’t know. “So you want to get back together with her?” She didn’t know how to react. If Catra felt this strongly, maybe there was a chance, but... it’ll be a big challenge.

”I don’t know,” Catra mumbled. “I do, and I don’t at the same time. Can you believe that shit?”

”I can,” Scorpia nodded. “It’s fine to feel that way, you know? In the end, it’s you who makes the decisions.”

”She apologized. Said she loves me too.”

”Isn't that good?”

”Not really.”

”And why is that?”

“Makes shit ten times harder. I don’t know if I can trust her again. Trust myself first of all. What if I get hurt again?” Catra confided. “What if she breaks my heart again? Then it’s my fault. All my fault that I thought I could try things again with her.”

“But you still want to hope that there’s a chance?”

”God, you sound like your damn girlfriend.”

Widening her eyes, Scorpia gasped. “Girlfriend? Since when? Who are you even talking about?”

”Per... Perfuma? Is that her name? That weird flower girl you always talk to. If I remember correctly, she goes to Bright Moon, right? I saw her at the party.”

”She’s not weird. Ease up on her, why don’t you?”

”Anyway, she told me something similar. That letting people in wasn’t that bad. I don’t know about that though. I tried twice and it backfired both times. What if I fuck up again? Then I’ll straight up look like a damn fool.”

”You know it’s not going to be your fault if things end up like that. You gotta understand; when people hurt you, it’s never your own fault.”

”Listen,” Catra enunciated. “I miss her. She was my best friend for fuck’s sakes... but I don’t know if I can handle losing her again. Maybe it’s not worth it after all. What if...”

”Ignore the what if’s,” Scorpia cut in. “You just found your answer. You said so yourself, now you just have to act on it.”

”I don’t get it. What do you mean?”

”You’re hiding behind a mask of doubt, Catra. You already know what you want. You’re just scared of the future.”

Way to call me out. Catra didn’t say anything else afterward. Not until she noticed Scorpia still staring at her. She took a deep breath before continuing. “Adora promised me something that night. She promised me that she was going to try her best to make it up to me or something along the lines of that. My memories are still foggy, but I got the gist of it.”

She remembered the important things, and that’s all that really mattered. “She said that if I let her, she’ll be there for me from now on.”

It was somewhat shocking to Scorpia. Turns out Adora really cared about Catra. A surprise, really, considering past and recent events. Scorpia didn't know much about Catra's history with Adora, only a few snippets here and there about it. Catra preferred not to share that much, so she didn't pry. “And...?"

"And what?"

"Do you believe her?"

Catra shook her head. "I... I don't know," she sighed. "I want to, but I also don't."

Scorpia figured it out. Catra did want to start over, yet had conflicting feelings about the whole thing. She wanted Adora back, but at what cost? In her opinion, Scorpia didn't have many fond thoughts about Adora, but if she made Catra happy, then that's honestly good enough for her. This time, it was Catra's turn to make up her own mind. "Sit on it, why don't you?" Scorpia suggested. "You got this."

"Sure, sure, I don't really have many options otherwise," Catra turned to look at Scorpia. Face stern, she clenched her hands into a fist. "I... I want to show you something."

"What is it?"

"Come with me. I'll drive you there."

"So it's a place? Why didn't you tell me earlier when I asked you what you wanted to do?"

"I didn't know I'd be doing this. After our talk, I figured it wouldn't be fair to you if I didn't..." Catra stopped mid-thought. "I'll tell you when we get there, okay?"

"You're acting kinda weird," Scorpia chuckled. "Alright, let's go."

She followed Catra outside, who seemed to be rushing to her car. The ride there was silent; maybe Catra had something on her mind. Usually, they had small talk when going somewhere, but it felt different this time around. The vibes were... serious to say the least. The air inside was heavy. Scorpia couldn't help but sneak glances to her left every now and then to try to see what Catra was thinking about. Her signature poker face gave nothing away once more. As they go past streets, Scorpia recognized the route. It was the playground they would hang out at occasionally. She had no idea why they made it their secondary hang-out spot, but it was a good place to talk. It was strange; Catra was acting like she was taking Scorpia somewhere important, yet this was somewhere they had already been at before.

Catra pulled into the parking lot beside the playground, letting the engine settle. She set the gear to parking and sat there still. She leaned back against her seat, pursing her lips. Observing the environment for peace of mind, she finally turned the car off after a few moments of pondering. "Here we are," she rubbed one of her forearms. "This is what I wanted to show you."

"But I already know about this place," Scorpia furrowed her brows. Was Catra joking around? No, she was far from it, considering her body language and face.

"But you don't know why I hate it," Catra replied sharply.

"Hate it? But you always go here. Dang, you even introduced it to me."

Shaking her head gently, Catra stopped rubbing her arm. She then gripped it as if something was bothering her. "I hate it because this was where I last saw her. I hate it because I go here to remember."

"Catra..." Scorpia reached out to put a hand on her friend's shoulder, but stopped when she realized the situation. Catra was turned away, hugging herself tightly as if to keep herself steady.

"The week before summer vacation, she told me that she was going to Bright Moon Academy. The problem was that we had already agreed to go to Horde High together. She changed her mind last minute because she wanted to pursue music. Our middle school had a music program, and that's where she picked up her new hobby. Horde High didn't offer what she was looking for," Catra said softly, voice trying its best to not be shaky. "I knew she loved music, so I didn't hold any hard feelings against her. Honestly speaking, that school might've been the best thing that ever happened to her. She seems happier."

Scorpia felt strange when the last sentence came off... bitter. "So I let her go. I thought being in different schools wouldn't tear us apart, but..." Catra scoffed. "Look where the fuck we are now."

"You didn't know it'd end up like that."

"Of course I didn't. I would've tried harder if I knew. It's so dumb anyway. We promised we'd see each other during and after summer vacation, but... plans changed."

"Yeah, you told me that she stopped talking to you."

"You know, I even thought about transferring. Then again, I was out of my mind. I thought that if she didn't bother contacting me, she probably didn't want to anyway. And then she left me behind. We stopped talking completely." Catra closed her eyes. Honestly speaking, she was glad she didn't transfer. She met good people during her time at Horde High, and wouldn't trade it for the world. Maybe this is how Adora felt. Both were close to moving on, yet so far from it. Was it selfish to want more than what you are given? To want better for yourself? To not be grateful for what you already have? Who knows.

And she never told Scorpia the full story. Well, this wasn't exactly everything, but it was enough. Enough to let her know the backstory. "That was it. Ten years together down the drain. It's weird how shit like that can happen. Losing somebody in the blink of an eye, no matter how close you guys were."

Only nodding along, Scorpia felt inclined to both add her own thoughts and just be a listener. She didn't know whether to say something or just... listen. Maybe Catra wouldn't like a conversation in the middle of this.

"Yeah. That's... really it. Simple, right? So tell me why the fuck I can't forget about her. Tell me why I think of her every second of my life. It's like she has this hold on me, and I can't get free," Catra felt herself getting worked up. "I tried. Trust me, I tried so fucking hard. I realized it wasn't working. The more I resisted, the worse I felt." Catra was biting back tears at this point. She'd never told anyone about this, so why now? Why did she feel that now was a good time to? But... strangely, it eased her muddled feelings and thoughts. Talking to a friend was great and all, but this was probably something she'd only do once in a while.

"So then I stopped. The only thing I could've done at that point was relive the memories. Hope for a new chance to start again. Now that it's smack in front of my face... why do I feel like this? It's what I've wanted for so long, but I'm having second thoughts," she took a deep breath, pausing briefly to recollect her thoughts. Ranting on and on felt good, yet so... pressuring. "I'm an idiot. I'm such an idiot for never knowing what to do. Always asking for help."

Scorpia broke her silence. She couldn't bear to see Catra like this. "Being confused is never a bad thing. It means you care. Don't worry about stuff like that. This is big, so of course you're gonna be like this."

Shaking her head, Catra continued on. "I want to believe that. What if we're friends again and she realizes I'm not the same? That I'm still not good enough?"

"I'm sure she doesn't feel that way about you. She's trying to have things be the same way as before, right? Doesn't that count for something? She's constantly trying to reconnect with you. Even I can see that you mean something to her."

Catra slumped down against her seat, exhausted. "Maybe..." she mumbled. "Sorry for bringing down the mood."

"It's really no problem."

"Well, wanna hear something funny?"

"Sure, shoot," Scorpia smiled. She wondered what Catra had in store for her. Today was definitely a curveball, and didn't seem to stop getting weirder and weirder. "Whaddya got for me?"

"You know how I started playing guitar around freshman year?"

"Right, you never told me why you picked it up in the first place."

"It was because of Adora."

"No way. Did she make you play it?"

"Nah, it's an even dumber reason. I started playing guitar because it reminded me of her. I felt like being a bassist would be too on the nose, so I opted for its estranged cousin."

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it. I think you're a great guitarist. One of the best. Maybe that's one of the good things you got from her leaving you."

"Maybe."

"What about singing?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're a really good singer. Did you do vocal lessons before?"

"Eh," Catra shrugged. "Something like that. I was in our middle school's choir. I only joined because my mom accidentally signed me up for it. I wanted art for my elective, not fucking choir. It was too late to transfer out when I realized it, so I just stuck with it for my first year. It wasn't too bad, so I stayed for all three years."

"Aw, that sucks that Horde High doesn't have a choir."

"Nah, it's not that serious. It was just a thing I did. I'm not interested in furthering my music career. Same with playing the guitar. It's a hobby." How strange. Mara said the same thing a while back. So many people wanted her to follow up on her hobbies, but Catra just didn't see it in her future. Sure, she enjoyed it, but she didn't find it in herself to join the professional scene.

"I get that. Then..." Scorpia smirked. "You want to be in the band full time? As a 'hobby'?" she air quoted.

"I'll think about it," Catra scoffed. To be fair, her time in the band— minus all the drama and bickering— wasn't all too bad. It was fun, really.

Adora waited and waited, constantly checking her phone for something from Catra. Anything. A call, text... voicemail. Wednesday came; nothing. Thursday; nothing. She felt more and more anxious as time went on. What if Catra never gets back to her? What if she's waiting for something that's never coming? Adora groaned in frustration. She had the biggest opportunity slip through her fingers. She had it, then she lost it, just as fast as it came. It was her fault. Maybe if she was braver. Better. Bow and Glimmer were increasingly worried for her. They saw that she was severely distracted. During break, they approached Adora once more to check in on her. "Adora?" Bow called.

She didn't answer, nor look up from her phone. The screen was stuck on Catra's contact. "Adora?" Bow tried again. Okay, this wasn't working. Time to bring out the big guns. He nodded to Glimmer, who in turn returned a nod.

"Adora!" Glimmer grabbed her seemingly dazed friend by the shoulders and continued to shake her wildly. "Wake the fuck up!"

Snapping out of it, Adora fumbled for words. "Wha... huh?" she blinked. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you guys come over. Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, you," Bow frowned. Adora was the type to easily get lost in her thoughts, but this time around was really bad. Every time he looked over his shoulder to take a peek at Adora, she was staring blankly in front of her. "You need to take a break from whatever this is. Just even for a few days. I'm sure it'll work out for you."

"I'm trying, but..." Adora looked away. "I'm just worried."

"Worry about something else in the meantime. I promise you she's not going anywhere." That was a lie, but he really needed Adora to focus on something else. This level of obsession was somewhat unhealthy. "Give her time to think. That's all you need to do, not stare at your phone all day for her. She'll come to you when she's ready."

"Okay, okay," she nodded along. She didn't like it when her friends worried about her, so this must've been serious. "I was just thinking about calling her. Would that be too much?"

"Uh... yeah? You have awful ideas all the time, but this might take the cake. Are you crazy?"

"Ugh," Adora sighed. "I know, I know. I figured it was a bad idea. I'm just worried about her."

"What did I say about thinking about her?"

"Sorry, sorry."

Adora's day went by disturbingly slow, just like the past week has been. Classes were droning. It was hard to try to think about other things, but it did help a little when she was provided a brief distraction. Friday finally came around. Today was track and field practice, so Adora definitely could take her mind off of Catra for a while. It was a needed break. Changing her clothes in the locker room, she rushed outside to begin her practice. She tried extra hard today; a sudden rush of motivation pushing her to. Running was a strange new interest Adora had recently picked up. As a certified 'band geek', it was surprising when she found joy in running. There seemed to be more she has yet to discover about herself. Sure, the added practice hours made her schedule tighter, but it was something she liked and genuinely enjoyed. She believed it was a fair sacrifice.

Wiping her sweat off with a towel, she sighed in relief when it was time to go home. Even though it was a good way to destress, it didn't mean that it wasn't hard work. Adora slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and began her somewhat long trek home. She watched the streets passing by in front of her blankly. The scenery was always the same, but these days, it felt different. Sometimes it was brighter. Sometimes it felt more gloomy. Today was... undescribable. She had a feeling something would happen soon, but wasn't sure what. The gut feeling was nothing less than annoying. Her feet hit the pavement a little more heavily today. She probably overexerted herself.

She smiled when she neared her home. Home sweet home. The first thing she was gonna do was take a long-awaited nap. She had time to today, and that made her happy. Adora unlocked the door with her housekey, almost forgetting to lock it on the way in. She put her shoes on the shoe rack beside the front door and made her way inside. Her parents weren't home yet, but would be in a few hours. It was nice to have some time alone anyway. Walking up the stairs, she hummed to herself as she closed her eyes. At this point, she already memorized the steps to her bedroom. Memorized the layout of her house. Instantly dropping the slightly heavy duffel bag on the floor as soon as she walked in, Adora took a deep breath. She was so close to finally relaxing.

Adora shrugged off her jacket, tossing it on her table. Mindlessly taking steps towards her bed, she went to take a big jump to land on it. She opened her eyes when she heard a frantic voice coming from where she was about to land.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Catra's face was stricken with fear, arms outstretched to try to stop herself from being crushed. Adora quickly reacted, throwing her arms out and twisting her body slightly to avoid landing on Catra. She slammed her eyes shut momentarily, and when she opened them, she gasped softly.

She was currently on top of Catra, arms the only thing getting in the way from lying on her. Adora never felt so confused in her life. "What... what are you doing here?"

Catra was frozen stiff, unsure of what to do in this situation. She didn't expect Adora to come fucking flying at her the second she got home. Shit, she expected her to walk in and be obviously surprised at the intruder. Not whatever this... was. "Uh... How about you get off of me first?" That was the first step.

Adora practically threw herself off, trying to get as far away from Catra as possible. She felt her face burn with heat. "How long have you been on my bed? How did you even get inside?"

Catra didn't answer any of those questions. Instead, she propped herself up for a second. "Adora," she said, hopping off of the bed. "Let's go for a walk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re enjoying the fanfic, please leave a comment or kudo! I’m always excited to hear everyone’s thoughts! Thank you so much for the kudos and comments so far! I appreciate each and every single one of you readers!
> 
> Looks like this fanfic is nearing its end... I enjoyed the wild ride my writing style has gone through. Not really HAHA
> 
> Thinking about revamping the first few chapters— they need a lot of work.

**Author's Note:**

> Why did I do this to myself? I've never written smut before and I abandoned a WIP from 2 years ago... I come back to this website to write some shameless hate sex... I hope you guys enjoy the ride, I know the hell I'm not.
> 
> P.S. Soooo I started writing this expecting it to be a one-shot but then part 1 hit the 13k word count (AND I WASN'T EVEN CLOSE TO THE ENDING?!) so I decided to split it up.


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